Don't Stop Believing
by 0TwistedAngel0
Summary: Chad Dylan Cooper and Sonny Munroe are complete strangers. Chad is from Michigan, and Sonny is from Wisconsin. They both have dreams of stardom...they're about to take the midnight bus going to L.A. Pairings: Channy
1. Trailer

_A/N:_ I was browsing through youtube and I saw that the people I subscribe to had some new videos. iStrikeIt put up a Channy video to the Glee version of "Don't Stop Believing". I fell in love with the video and the wheels in my head started turning for a Channy story. So, tell me what you think!

* * *

Don't Stop Believing

by 0TwistedAngel0

Trailer

**Meet Sonny Munroe- a small town girl from Wisconsin**

"_I can't stand it here anymore, Lucy" she sighed to her best friend as she fell back on her bed. _

"_Well, you can't really do anything about it. Your mom won't let you go to L.A." Lucy shrugged. _

**Meet Chad Dylan Cooper- a city boy from Detroit, Michigan**

"_Dad! I made callbacks! We have to go to L.A. this weekend for my audition!" Chad exclaimed as he rushed into his father's room. _

"_Oh…son, that's wonderful…but I'm afraid I have some bad news"_

"_What is it?"_

_  
"I got laid off…I can't afford an expensive trip to L.A. right now…"_

"_But…"_

**Their dreams are calling them from thousands of miles away, but the just can't seem to reach them. **

**They decide to take a risk, and go cross-country to follow their dreams…without their parent's permission. **

_(Sonny packing. Lucy is looking at her friend with worry and Sonny is smiling. She gives Lucy a hug)_

"_I'll call you every chance I get, Luce. I have enough money saved up to last me 7 months! I'll be fine…and there's no way, I'm not making it on to the show!"_

"_I'll miss you Sonny!" _

"_Chad, you're crazy you know that" his 13 year old sister told him as she sat on his bed watching her brother pack._

"_I have to do this, Leah. Not just for me, but for you guys too…if I get this job, we'll never have to worry about money again!" he explained as he closed his suitcase. Leah looked at him with sad eyes and sniffed. _

_Chad smiled weakly at her and gave her a big hug. "I'll miss you Lee. But I'll be fine. Remember? I have my own account that dad never looks at. He won't know where I am, and I'll be able to make it to L.A. and save our family"_

**Strangers meet. **

"_Hey…is this seat open?" Sonny asked. Chad looked up and smiled. _

"_Yeah," he took his duffle bag from off the seat. _

"_I'm Sonny"_

_Chad chuckled. "Nice name. I'm Chad"_

**Friendships are created. **

"_Going to L.A. means more to me than anything on this world, Sonny."_

"_I know what you mean"_

"_My life is over!"_

_  
"It'll be fine, Sonny"_

_"Chad! I just lost EVERYTHING!"_

**Experiencing a brand new world, all on their own.**

_"Isn't this place beautiful?" _

_Chad just stared at Sonny with a small smile. _

_Sonny turns and then laughs. She shoves him slightly before running off. "Tag you're it!" _

_Chad stumbles back a bit and laughs. "No fair!"_

**Is L.A. everything they thought it would be?**

"_I'm sorry. Mr. Condor was set to audition with you at noon. It's 3 o'clock right now. You missed your appointment"_

_  
"You don't understand"_

"_I'm sorry"_

**Will their dreams be realized?**

_(Sonny shakes hands with Marshall)_

_(Chad smiles at Portlyn)_

_(Chad and Sonny look at the posters of Mackenzie Falls and So Random)_

**Or will Hollywood crush them?**

_(Sonny slides down a wall and hugs herself while crying)_

_(Chad throws a whole bunch of papers to the floor)_

"_You told Mr. Condor you didn't think I could make it!"_

"_Sonny, I never said anything like that!"_

_"Don't lie to me, Chad!"_

"_Why would I bother to talk bad about you?"_

"_Because you're jealous!"_

"_Jealous of what!"_

**Starring Sonny Munroe**

_(Sonny smiling at Chad and then laughing)_

**and Chad Dylan Cooper**

_(Chad winks at Sonny and then pulls her to Condor Studios)_

**Don't Stop Believing!**

_Coming soon to a computer screen near you!_


	2. Small Town Girl, City Boy

_A/N:_ Thanks to everyone who reviewed on the trailer! Here's the first chapter! =)

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Don't Stop Believing

by 0TwistedAngel0

Chapter 1: Small Town Girl and City Boy

In a small town in Wisconsin, Sonny Munroe was in her backyard grinning at her best friend Lucy who was holding a camcorder.

"Now, I'm going to sing the Star Spangled Banner while doing cart wheels as my camera girl and best friend Lucy throws hot dogs at me!" Sonny announced her next trick to the camera.

"Let's see if she can pull it off shall we?" Lucy laughed as she placed the camcorder on her tripod.

Sonny laughed as she started to sing and do cart wheels. A few times a hot dog would hit her leg as she constantly turned. She was getting dizzy, but it was so fun. Lucy was helping her record her next episode for her web show. She put up clips of her doing funny things, or impressions on YouTube and called it SonnyTimes. It was a big hit on the web. After a few minutes, Lucy turned off the camera.

"Haha, that's a wrap, Sonny. Let's go upload it now," she called to her best friend. Sonny nodded her head and then followed Lucy into the house. The two girls raced upstairs into Sonny's bedroom. Lucy sat down at Sonny's computer and turned moved the mouse to take it out of power-save mode. She signed on to YouTube and all of a sudden she saw that Sonny had a new e-mail message.

"Hey Sonny, take a look at this…e-mail from" Lucy read the sender to herself and her eyes widened. "No way…"

Sonny moved to look over her friend's shoulder. "What…wow." she blinked reading the name. 'Condor Studios- Marshall Pike' "Isn't that the name of So Random's producer?"

"You don't think the e-mail is real do you?" Lucy asked.

Sonny glanced down and grinned at the girl. She made her surrender the computer chair and opened the e-mail eagerly. She glanced over the screen and saw the e-mail was very professional and it looked authentic. It had the Condor Studios insignia, and several contact telephone numbers. The e-mail didn't ask to meet her alone anywhere or anything like that. So, she read closer. She gasped about half way through it.

"Sonny? What does it say?" Lucy who had been too busy looking at her friend's reactions to notice what the e-mail actually said.

"They've seen SonnyTimes…So Random thinks I'm funny and that I'd be great for an empty slot they have. Mandy apparently is leaving the show, and they need someone to take over….they want me to audition for it!" Sonny squealed as she jumped out of her seat.

"Oh my gosh!" Lucy exclaimed as she pulled her best friend into a tight hug. Both brunettes started laughing with excitement. "We have to tell your mom!"

Sonny nodded quickly and pulled Lucy by the wrist all the way downstairs into the kitchen where Connie Munroe was making lunch. "Mom! Mom! Mom!" she cried out.

Connie jumped slightly and turned to her daughter with a slightly panicked expression on her face. Connie was almost identical to her daughter. She had the same dark hair, laugh lines and the same contagious smile. She also had the exact same humor that made the Munroes so charming. "What is it Sonny? What's wrong?" she asked her daughter glancing over both girls to make sure they were fine.

"We're fine. Mom! You will never guess who I just got an e-mail from?" Sonny said as she let go of Lucy's hand to approach her mother. Connie smiled and turned back to her cooking. "Who?"

"Marshall Pike!"

"No! Not Marshall Pike!" Connie gasped in fake-horror. Sonny rolled her eyes. She was trying to explain something hugely important to her mother and she was making it increasingly impossible.

"Mom! Focus. Marshall Pike is the producer of So Random!" Sonny explained. Connie's smile wiped off and she gave her daughter a curious look. "Are you sure it was him, Sonny? You know how tricky these pervs on the internet can be" Connie asked.

"Mom. It looks really official. There's contact numbers and everything, and they're not asking to meet with me. They're letting me know that they've seen my webshow and think I'm funny!"

"That's nice" Connie said hesitantly.

"Listen to me…they want me to audition for an open slot that they have!" Sonny grinned from ear to ear. She had always dreamed about being famous and being able to make people laugh and smile. This was too good to be true!

"Oh honey," Connie sighed as she wiped her hands with a dish towel. She moved towards her daughter with a look that every child knows. It was the "I know you want it, sweetie, but I can't. If I could I would, you know that" look that made every child feel rotten for asking for anything in the first place.

"Mom- you can't be serious. This is So Random! This is my chance!" she argued desperately. However, Sonny could see it in her mother's eyes. The answer was no.

"Sonny"

"Mom, please! You have to let me go to L.A.! Please!" she pleaded.

Connie sighed. She hated having to be the disciplinary. "I'm sorry, honey. We can't swing it right now…we just finished with…and money has been tight. Besides, I'm not sure that this offer is completely legit. You're so talented, sweetheart, there will be other chances" Connie explained.

Sonny glared at her mother and sighed. She turned to Lucy and then just motioned for her to go upstairs. Sonny walked back to her room and did her best not to slam her door open. She lay back on her bed angrily.

"I can't stand it here anymore, Lucy" she sighed to her best friend as she fell back on her bed.

"Well, you can't really do anything about it. Your mom won't let you go to L.A." Lucy shrugged. The girl grabbed the computer chair and swiveled it to face the bed before sitting down.

"Mom doesn't understand what a huge opportunity this is! I know Dad just passed away so she's still depressed but…we can't stop living!" she sighed. Lucy nodded her head as she looked over at Sonny. She felt bad that her best friend had to miss out on her dream, but what could they do? Connie had said no. Suddenly Sonny got that glint in her eye that Lucy never liked. She didn't like it, because it almost always involved a crazy plan that got them in trouble. She sighed.

"I've got the BEST idea, Luce!" Sonny exclaimed as she jumped up. She opened her closet door and took out a suitcase. She opened it up and then began dumping her clothes in. That made Lucy jump up in surprise. "Sonny! What are you doing?" she hissed.

"I'm going to L.A."

"But your mom said…"

"I know what my mom said, but Luce, I have to do this. Remember that bank account I opened up when I was twelve? Well, I've never taken a penny out of there and you know how much money I always put away into that account…" Sonny grinned. Lucy didn't like the sound of that.

"You know that could be dangerous…"

"I can take care of myself…I'll take a bus to L.A. It should only take a few days, I'll be there by the weekend and I'll audition for So Random!" Sonny couldn't believe it! The answer had been in her face all along. She moved Lucy to the side and she went all around her room and picked up the things she would need for her trip.

* * *

In Michigan, Chad Dylan Cooper had just received the best news from his talent agency. Condor Studios was holding auditions for the lead in their new tween drama "Mackenzie Falls". His agency had thought he was the best for the role, so they had Chad do an audition tape and send it in. He got a call that afternoon saying that he had made callbacks. Chad rushed to his father's room the moment he hung up.

"Dad! I made callbacks! We have to go to L.A. this weekend for my audition!" Chad exclaimed as he rushed into his father's room.

"Oh…son, that's wonderful…but I'm afraid I have some bad news" Daniel Cooper stood up from his bed and then wiped his face. He looked anxious and worried. He didn't look happy about the news his son had shared with him and that made Chad worry. What was wrong?

"What is it?"

"I got laid off…I can't afford an expensive trip to L.A. right now…" Daniel explained as he ran a hand through his golden hair. He scratched the back of his head and sat back down on the bed. "I don't know what we're going to do…"

"But…" Chad began. He stopped himself. His dad was struggling and Chad knew that picking a fight wasn't going to help anything. "Fine" he sulked as he closed his door. Chad made his way to his room to call back his agency and tell them he couldn't make it when a blond head of hair peaked at him from her doorway. "Chad?" It was his little sister, Leah.

"Yeah, Lee?" Chad asked as he stopped in the hallway. He moved closer to her as she stepped out of her own room.

"What were you talking to Daddy about?"

"Oh," Chad smiled softly. "I got the callbacks for the part of Mackenzie" he informed her. The little girl's hazel eyes widened and she grinned at her big brother. "That's great!" she squealed as she hugged him. Chad hugged her back and chuckled.

"Yeah…too bad I can't go"

"What! Why? Why won't Daddy let you? I'll go talk to him if you want…you know he can't say no to me!" Leah looked like she was upset and Chad smiled. He loved his little sister dearly. Even the three year age gap didn't affect how close they were. He told her everything, and this time was no exception.

"It's okay. It's not Dad's fault…he got fired" Chad began. Leah gasped interrupting him. He gave her a quick hug before letting go. "That's awful…I'm sorry you can't go Chad…" she sighed as she hugged him again.

"What are we going to do about money though? Are we going to lose the house?" Leah asked worriedly. Chad frowned, he hadn't thought about that. He knew he could get a job, but nothing that would help save his family. If only they had enough money to get him to Hollywood…Chad knew that Mackenzie Falls was a lock for him. If he auditioned he would get the part, and then their money troubles would be over. Suddenly, an idea hit him.

"That's it!"

Leah jumped and gave her brother a weird look. "What's it?"

Chad ignored her and then ran towards his room. Leah followed after him quickly wondering what her brother was up to. She saw him on the computer and she leaned over his shoulder to see that he was checking his bank account.

"Why are you checking you're…" suddenly realization hit the young girl. "No, Chad, no way…"

"Come on, Lee. It's perfect!" He closed the internet window and grabbed the suitcase he had put out earlier.

"Chad, you're crazy you know that" his 13 year old sister told him as she sat on his bed watching her brother pack.

"I have to do this, Leah. Not just for me, but for you guys too…if I get this job, we'll never have to worry about money again!" he explained as he closed his suitcase. Leah looked at him with sad eyes and sniffed. She was going to miss her brother so much…not to mention she was the one who was going to have to deal with their father.

Chad smiled weakly at her and gave her a big hug. "I'll miss you Lee. But I'll be fine. Remember? I have my own account that dad never looks at. He won't know where I am, and I'll be able to make it to L.A. and save our family"

"I'll miss you too, Chaddy" she wrapped her arms around her brother tightly and cried for a little bit. They stayed in that moment a little longer. Chad knew it would be a while before he could actually hug his sister again and that she needed him. He squeezed her tightly and then let go.

"Okay, now you go to your room and pretend like you don't know what the heck is going on, okay? I'll try and call you as soon as I can" he kissed her on the head and she nodded. She wiped the corner of her eyes and then smiled at her brother before leaving his room. He looked out the window and saw that the night was coming. He needed to get to the train station soon. He looked at his door and then decided to leave his dad with a note. He didn't want Leah to suffer all the blame.

Chad took a paper from his stationary and a pen and began to write: _"Dear Dad…I'm sorry but I have to do this. I'm going to L.A. don't worry about me. I'll call when I can. I'm doing this for all of us. We need this money now, more than ever. I love you. I'll be fine. Love, Chad"_

He re-read the note and nodded his head. It sounded good. Now, he was off to follow his dreams.

* * *

Sonny Munroe read the e-mail message she had left on the screen. When her mom came to check in on her, she would be gone.

_Mom, don't panic okay? I love you so much, but I can't let this pass me by. So Random is my dream, Mom. Another chance like this won't come along ever again. I know you think otherwise, but I know in my gut this is my only chance to make it. I love you and I know that leaving is going to make you worry. I have money so you don't have to worry about that. I'm going to be calling Lucy to let her know I'm okay…I won't tell her where I am though. Oh, and don't be mad at Lucy, okay? She tried to talk me out of it. I'm not coming back until I'm on So Random, Mommy. Again, I love you, please don't be mad. Love always, Sonny._

Sonny stood up and turned to look at her suitcases or rather her bags. She had two duffel bags that were going to last her for her trip. She had more than enough money saved up in her bank account so all she had to do was go the bus terminal. The teenager noticed her best friend's look of worry and she smiled. Sonny moved over to Lucy and gave her a tight hug.

"I'll call you every chance I get, Luce. I have enough money saved up to last me 7 months! I'll be fine…and there's no way, I'm not making it on to the show!"

"I'll miss you Sonny!" Lucy cried out. Sonny nodded her head and kissed her friend's cheek. "Bye. I have to go if I want to make the bus…" Sonny opened her window and began to climb out. She shimmied down the pipes and then motioned for Lucy to throw her the bags. Lucy nodded and threw the things out the window. She was nervous for Sonny, but the girl always had a way of making things right. Lucy just hoped this was one of those times.

Sonny's plan was that Lucy would stay and when Connie awoke to find no Sonny, she would explain the situation and hopefully help Connie if she had a nervous breakdown. Lucy felt guilty about this, but it was what Sonny wanted. She just hoped she was doing the right thing.

With that Sonny Munroe made her way through the night to the bus terminal- her dreams already in sight. _'L.A. look out…here I come'_

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_A/N:_ Hey guys…so tell me what you think! I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. Read & Review! Next chapter Sonny and Chad meet! =)


	3. For a Smile, They Can Share the Night

_A/N:_ I'd like to give a very special thanks to all those who reviewed the story so far! It means a lot to me that you guys are enjoying the story so far! So, I'm dedicating this chapter to:

**sonnycentral, b-Kaz, serenity12345, ****Xx S0fTbAlL Bl0nDiex3 11, DrowningxInxSapphire, and purplenpeace4evaaa**

You guys are awesome! Hope you guys like this chapter!

* * *

Don't Stop Believing

by 0TwistedAngel0

Chapter 2: For a Smile, They Can Share the Night

Chad looked out the window of the bus. His heart was pounding with excitement as he waited for everyone to load the bus. One of his carry-on bags was in his lap and he decided to get more comfortable and place it in the empty seat beside him. His cell phone, iPod and wallet were in his pocket and he kept fidgeting. The bus ride was going to take about 3 days with stops along the way and Chad was just worried about making it on time to his audition. The next three days wouldn't be able to pass by fast enough.

"Um, excuse me?" Chad looked up and saw a girl around his age giving him a nervous smile. "Is this seat taken?" she asked. Chad stared a moment at the girl. She was very pretty with dark brown hair and brown eyes. Her smile was contagious though, and he smiled in return as he shook his head.

"No, it's not taken. Here…let me move this" he said lifting his bag out of the way and placing it under his seat. Sonny smiled and then put one of her duffel bags in the upper compartment and the other under her seat. Chad nodded his head at her and then looked out the window again.

"So, I'm Sonny, by the way"

Chad turned his head to see the girl fidgeting with the end of her shirt. He chuckled. "I'm Chad, nice to meet you. Sonny…that's an interesting name"

"Nice to meet you too…my real name is Allison, but I prefer being called Sonny" she explained. "Are you by yourself?" she asked. Chad noticed the girl was a little nervous and decided it wouldn't be horrible to chat with her until she calmed down.

"Yeah. I'm heading to Los Angeles…what about you?"

"Really? That's cool…I'm heading over there too" he smiled.

Sonny grinned as she relaxed slightly into her seat. "Yeah, I have an audition for a TV show, and this is actually my first time going to anything like this so I'm a little nervous"

Chad smirked; his confidence kicking in. "Well, I've been to a few auditions myself. It's nothing to worry about, once you get in there everything will go smoothly…what are you auditioning for?" he asked as he leaned in a little closer.

Sonny blinked her eyes a few times and felt her cheeks flush. "Oh…um, I was requested to audition for my favorite show, So Random. I love comedy" she explained as she looked down at her lap.

The boy tilted his head to the side. So she was a comedy girl? That was interesting. Chad was always into more _serious_ acting, but he couldn't blame the girl for liking what she liked. Besides, he'd never seen her act or anything. He smirked. Maybe he would soon.

"Cool"

"What are you auditioning for?"

Chad ran a hand through his blond hair and smiled. "Well, I'm auditioning for the lead role in this new TV drama…it's a lock-in for me, but since I'm still "unheard of" I have to go through all this silly auditioning and callbacks process" he explained. Okay, maybe he was laying it on thick but Chad was nothing if not confident. Some could even say, cocky.

Sonny rolled her eyes but couldn't help the smile that was working its way to her face. "That's nice…"

"So, why isn't your family with you? This is your first audition right? Wouldn't your parents or whatever want to be with you?"

The Wisconsin girl glared at the boy and crossed her arms. "That's none of your business…" she began. She wasn't exactly comfortable sharing her life story with someone she had just met a few minutes ago. Chad raised his eyebrows questioningly at Sonny's sudden change of attitude but he decided to shrug it off. _'Whatever'_

The silence spread between them. They both wanted to say something to continue talking but neither knew how to begin. Sonny however was the first to break.

"My mom doesn't exactly know I'm going to L.A. at least not yet. She didn't think it was a smart idea, but I couldn't let this chance pass me by," she blurted out. Chad turned his head to her and blinked in surprise.

"And your dad?"

Sonny's gaze was diverted back to her lap. "That's a conversation for another time…if ever" she added. She definitely wasn't going to explain the situation with her dad to this complete stranger. If they were going to be heading in the same direction for the next couple of days, Sonny didn't want any pity from him.

"My best friend Lucy is covering for me though. She's amazing, and I'm gonna miss her so much" she continued.

Chad chuckled. "Yeah, I'm gonna miss my sister Leah too. She looks up to me, and we've never been a part for more than two days…"

"How old is she?" Sonny asked suddenly curious. She had always wanted siblings, but her parents had never gotten around to it.

"She's thirteen. She's a handful though," Chad grinned. He really loved his little sister. Ever since his mom had walked out on his family, Leah had been the only "woman" in his life. Sure, he'd have girlfriends but nothing serious that could even begin to compete with his sister. Sonny could see how much Chad cared about his sister.

"She sounds fun" Sonny commented.

"Oh she is, you know this one time, I was twelve I think, we were stuck at home because my dad got called up for a meeting at work so he had to leave us alone. I thought we were going to have a horrible day so I just went to the backyard to sleep on our hammock and the out of nowhere I get hit by a water balloon!"

Sonny let out a loud laugh that drew some attention. She stopped abruptly and then blushed looking down at her lap again. Chad chuckled quietly. _'Cute'_

"Did you get her back for splashing you?" she asked quietly. Chad nodded his head. "Of course! We had a huge water fight and when dad come home he saw us both soaked to the bone," Chad laughed at the memory.

"Hey kids! Keep it down, some people are trying to get to sleep!" a woman a few seats down hissed at them. The pair turned their heads and saw the woman bouncing a baby on her lap. Sonny smiled apologetically. She turned to look over at Chad and laughed quietly. "I guess we should go to sleep too…don't we have a stop in the morning?" she asked.

Chad nodded. "We're stopping to eat breakfast and refuel…not sure where. Well, let's get to sleep…" he repositioned himself to be slanted slightly and then leaned his head against the window. Sonny pulled her legs up under her and then curled against the arm rest.

Chad saw her curl up like a cat and then laughed quietly again. "Are you gonna be comfortable like that?" he asked. Sonny let out a yawn and nodded. "Goodnight Chad" she muttered sleepily.

The blond boy smiled. "Goodnight Sonny" he then closed his eyes and fell asleep.

* * *

_A/N:_ Do you like it? Let me know what you think! Your thoughts are really important to me! Criticism welcomed! (Flames aren't)


	4. Strangers Waiting

_A/N:_ Guys! Thank you so much for all your reviews!! You don't know how much they mean to me. I was smiling while I was reading all of them! Here's the next chapter! Oh, special thanks to b-Kaz, she gave me a really cute idea! =) Thanks so much!

* * *

Don't Stop Believing

by 0TwistedAngel0

Chapter 3: Strangers waiting; Up and Down the Boulevard

The morning came soon enough and the sound of the other passengers waking up woke Chad Cooper. He blinked his eyes a few times and then let out a yawn. He noticed the bus driver stand up.

"Okay everyone, I'm gonna drop you guys off at this here Denny's and I'll be back to get you in a few hours. I'm taking the bus to a garage, 'cause I don't like this wheezing sound it's making" he announced. Chad nodded his head as was about to stand up when he realized there was some added weight on his lap. He glanced down and saw Sonny resting her head on her arm which just so happened to be on his leg. _'Okay…this is only slightly awkward'_ he thought to himself.

"Aw, isn't that sweet?" an older woman murmured to her friend as the two old ladies passed by. Chad's cheeks burned as he cleared his throat ready to wake the girl up.

"Sonny…Sonny, wake up!" the voice brought the brunette out of her dreamland. Sonny yawned and blinked her eyes a few times readjusting to the change in light. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and looked around. The other passengers were getting off the bus. She looked up and saw Chad raising an eyebrow at her.

"Morning sleepyhead…do you mind? I want to freshen up before breakfast"

Did she mind? Did she mind what? What was…It took Sonny a moment to realize that she was no longer curled up in her seat. She was stretched out more comfortable and she was resting mostly on Chad's lap. Her cheeks turned a bright red as she quickly sat up. "Sorry about that…breakfast?" she asked. Almost as if on cue, Sonny's stomach growled. Chad laughed and shook his head. He reached under his chair and pulled out his travel pack that held all his hygiene necessities.

"I want to brush my teeth, Sonny. Move please" he said motioning her to stand up. Sonny quickly stood up and out into the aisle. "Um, so where are we?"

Chad shrugged as he moved passed her. "Not sure exactly. The bus driver said he was dropping us off at Denny's to eat and that he'd be back after some repairs were done to the bus…" he explained as he headed off. Sonny stared after him curiously. Last night, Chad had seemed like such a people person. He had been talking and friendly and now…he seemed so distant.

Sonny rolled her eyes at herself as she grabbed her own travel pack and wallet. _'Look at me, I'm analyzing someone I just met'_ she thought to herself. She was being ridiculous…she was just hungry and over thinking everything. She crossed the parking lot and entered the Denny's. It seemed like everyone from the bus was there, but other than that no customers. The teenager took a look around trying to find a sign for bathrooms and when she couldn't locate one she turned to one of the servers.

"Um, excuse me? Where are the bathrooms? I'd like to freshen up" she smiled at the server. The girl- who was probably just a few years older than Sonny- sized her up before replying. "Down that hall and take a left…"

Sonny was slightly put off by the girl's attitude and rolled her eyes. It was too early in the morning to bother fighting with someone. She made her way to the bathroom and did her morning routine. She brushed her teeth and hair before cleaning her face. She wiped her face clean and then looked at her reflection. Sonny smiled at herself before closing her travel pack and heading back out.

She walked out into the main room and bit her lip. She didn't want to look pathetic and sit all by herself in a crowded restaurant, but she didn't know anybody. Suddenly, her brown eyes landed on a certain blond haired boy and she grinned. Her travel pack in hand, Sonny quickly moved towards Chad's table and sat down in front of him. The boy glanced up from his menu and raised an eyebrow at her. He had a small smile working on his face as he spoke.

"Yes, Sonny?"

"Would you mind if I joined you for breakfast?"

Chad chuckled and shook his head. "Sure, why not? Since you already sat down and all"

Sonny smiled. "Sorry, but I hate sitting alone in crowded restaurants. It makes me feel so depressed…"

"Do you always do that?"

"Do what?" Sonny asked as she picked up the menu before her.

"Talk so much" Chad replied bluntly.

"Excuse me?" She raised an eyebrow at him. He was being rather insulting. She didn't talk too much!

"What?" Chad asked oblivious of his own insult. Sonny rolled her eyes and ignored him. At that moment, the server girl from before approached their table and gave Chad a great big smile. "Hey there, I'm Lisa. I'll be your server"

Chad grinned right back at her. "Hi, Lisa. I'm Chad…I'd like some French toast with bacon and scrambled eggs"

Now, Sonny didn't care much for the server girl's attitude with her to begin with, but she really didn't like being treated as if she wasn't there. She cleared her throat angrily, "And I'm Sonny, the girl you'll also be serving. So can I please get some service around here?"

Lisa rolled her green eyes and took out her notepad and pencil. "Yes, _your Majesty_"

Sonny's jaw dropped at Lisa's rudeness. "Excuse you! I'm a paying customer…"

"Sonny, please, just tell Lisa what you want to eat," Chad interrupted before things got worse. He held in his urge to roll his eyes at the girl. She seemed to be so sensitive; it caused him to worry slightly. This girl wanted to work in Hollywood?

The Wisconsin native glared at Chad and then gave Lisa a tight smile. "I'd like pancakes please, with a whole bunch of bacon on the side" she said as she crossed her arms.

Lisa focused her attention once again on Chad. "And to drink?" she batted her eyelashes flirtingly. Sonny rolled her eyes.

"Well, what I'd like doesn't seem to be on the menu…" Lisa giggled at the hidden meaning in Chad's words.

"_Really, _Chad?" Sonny asked in disbelief. There was no way that Chad was trying to smooth talk their waitress with that one. Lisa turned to glare at Sonny before looking back at Chad.

Chad ignored Sonny and continued. "So, I guess I'll have to settle for some orange juice" he sighed dramatically. Lisa nodded her head and then glanced at Sonny. "What about you?"

"Milk, please" Sonny said with a fake smile. Lisa jotted down the orders and then walked off giving Chad a quick wink. Chad chuckled and shook his head. He glanced up and saw Sonny glare at him. "What?"

"Are you such a jerk all the time or is it just the mornings?" Sonny asked. Chad looked surprised at her sudden change of attitude.

"Are you always such a diva or is it just the mornings?" Chad asked mockingly. Sonny gasped. "I am not a diva"

"Well, then lighten up Sonny. Lisa wasn't doing anything to you" he said.

"Hey! She was completely rude to me, and ignoring me was the final straw" Sonny huffed.

"Well, you have to admit you are being a little oversensitive" Chad said trying to coax it out of her.

"I am not!" she argued. Chad sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Fine, you win. Can you just be calm now?"

Sonny frowned slightly as she looked down at her lap. "Fine…maybe I _was_ being a little over sensitive…I guess I'm just feeling weird about getting to L.A."

Chad shrugged. "You just can't take everything to heart. Hollywood is a world all it's own, and it's a dog eat dog world. If you can't handle a little criticism, you're going nowhere" he advised. Sonny nodded and took in a deep breath. "Okay, now stop talking to me like a manager" she said with a smile.

Chad laughed and shook his head. "Sonny, you are so bipolar it's entertaining"

Sonny gave him a playful glare. "I'll ignore that"

"Thatta girl"

Sonny laughed and shook her head. It was weird how she could be so mad at Chad one minute, yet have a completely normal conversation with him five seconds later. It was truly unbelievable. She smiled at him. "Whatever Chad"

Lisa came back with their food on a tray and she placed it in front of them. She gave Chad a big smile as she placed his plate in front of him, but his focus was on Sonny. "So, tell me about yourself Sonny"

Lisa blinked in surprise that Chad was ignoring her. She frowned slightly and placed Sonny's plate in front of her before picking up the tray and menus and turning back. Sonny raised an eyebrow at Chad. "Why?"

The boy shrugged. "I don't know; why not give this conversation thing a shot? We're gonna be sharing a bus for the next couple of days"

Sonny smiled and shrugged. "Okay, so what do you want to know?" she said as she grabbed her fork and took a bite of her pancakes.

"Well, how old are you?"

"You know it's rude to ask a lady her age" Sonny smirked. Chad raised an eyebrow at her and she laughed. "I'm fifteen, you?"

"Sixteen" he responded.

The rest of the breakfast went along similarly. Chad asked Sonny question and she answered making him laugh. Chad would share a few stories about his adventures with his sister and Sonny would talk about hosting the SonnyTimes.

"I can't believe you guys actually put that up on youtube!" Chad said with a smile as he took a sip of his orange juice.

"Hey, it was too funny not to!"

"You weren't embarrassed?"

"Of course I was! That's what made it funny" Sonny said as if it were the most obvious thing on the planet. Chad shook his head.

"Well, if a comedian is what you want to be, I think you're gonna do just fine when you get to Hollywood" Chad said. Sonny smiled. "Are you excited about your Mackenzie Falls audition?" she asked him as she put down her fork.

Chad smiled. "Going to L.A. means more to me than anything on this world, Sonny."

"I know what you mean. This is like…my only chance to make it. I feel bad about my mom but…I just…had to take a risk"

"Can I be honest with you?" he asked tilting his head to the side. Sonny nodded her head. "My dad got fired from his job. I came to get the job not only for me, but to help my family out…"

Chad knew that it was very strange to share so much with a complete stranger, but there was something about Miss Sonny Munroe that he felt comfortable with. Chad felt as if Sonny wasn't a stranger, she was a friend. It might have been crazy of him to think so much of her in such a short time, but he couldn't help himself. Sonny was nothing if not entertaining and charming. He smirked slightly. _'She reminds me of me, in a weird sort of way'_ he thought. Sonny's eyes widened slightly at his confession. She was touched that Chad would share something that big. "That's wonderful, Chad. That you're doing this for your family, I mean"

The teenagers smiled at each other before one of the old ladies from that morning approached them. "Excuse me, kiddies" she said. Sonny glanced up and smiled at the woman. She loved old people; they reminded her of her grandparents. "Yes, ma'am?"

"I'm Mrs. Cunningham, I'm on the same bus as you two" she clarified. Chad nodded his head in recognition. "Yes"

"I thought you two adorable kids would like to know that the bus driver just pulled up. He's giving everyone ten minutes before he leaves" Mrs. Cunningham explained. The two teenagers straightened up and thanked the older woman before paying for their food separately. They gathered their things and headed back on the bus. They sat next to each other and smiled at each other. They were that much closer to their dreams and had just made a new friend.

'_He's pretty cute too'_ Sonny allowed in her mind as she smiled to herself. Little did she know Chad was having similar thoughts about her.

* * *

_A/N: _Haha. I like it. =) Did anyone else watch Sonny with a Chance tonight? I love that "Battle of the Network Stars" episode. It has so much Channy I was squealing the entire time. I wonder how many people will write fanfics on it? Haha. Oh, if anyone is interested in making an official trailer of this story send me a message! I'd love to have one up on YouTube. =) Let me know what you guys think of the chapter! R&R!


	5. Their Shadows Searching in the Night

_A/N: _Hey guys! It's Twisty here with your new chapter of Don't Stop Believing! It's always so fun to write this story and reading your reviews makes everything worth while. =) Man, my right hand hurts though. Those of you who follow me on twitter (link in my profile) know that I have two small but PAINFUL scratches on my hand. One on my index finger caused by my adorable kitten and the other on my palm caused by myself. That second cut is very interesting though. I was opening a bottle of water and apparently there was some broken plastic on it, because when I twist to bottle cap I get this cut on my palm that starts bleeding immediately.

I'm such a dork right? Well, it stings really badly, but through all the pain I'm getting this out to you guys! So review and tell me how much you appreciate it! ;D

* * *

Don't Stop Believing

by 0TwistedAngel0

Chapter 4: Their Shadows Searching in the Night

The second day on the bus went much smoother than the one before. Chad and Sonny woke up that morning fully refreshed and both in good moods. They had spent the night talking and learning more about each other. It would seem that the two had become fast friends; they both needed someone to lean on. Sonny learned quite a few things about Chad's personality. While he was very sweet, he had a huge ego and once it was fed, Chad could be very annoying. (Which Sonny realized was what happened back at Denny's so she quickly forgave him even though she didn't tell him that). She noticed that he was very protective of his sister- just they way he talked about her. Sonny also noticed that Chad was a helpless flirt. He flirted with any girl- despite their age. She wasn't sure what she thought about that, but all the other girls on the bus were delighted with him.

Chad found out a few things about Sonny as well. She was every bit as cheerful as her nickname suggested. She always looked for the good in people, and was incredibly naive about many things. She didn't seem to notice the way a few of the men on the bus would look at her. It triggered Chad's protective side, and he was determined to make sure that nothing bad happened to her while she was on the bus (or anywhere really). He shook his head as she conversed with the bus driver happily.

"So Marty, how does today's schedule look?"

Marty- the bus driver- glanced at the girl from his review mirror and smiled. "Well Sonny, we're making good time. I'm really beat though, so we're heading to a motel. I didn't sleep a wink last night so I need some shut eye. We should be arriving in LA some time tomorrow" he told her.

Sonny grinned and turned to face Chad. "Aren't you excited?"

"Sure am, but I think you're more than enough excited for all of us" he teased. Sonny rolled her eyes and looked passed him and out the window. Suddenly, a thought hit her. "Wait, we're staying at a motel?"

"That's what Marty said" Chad nodded as he took out his iPod and put one of the ear buds on. He glanced at Sonny and noticed that she was fidgeting. That was another thing that the boy had noticed about her. When she was nervous she would fidget with whatever she got her hands on. He sighed.

"What's wrong?"

"What? Everything's okay!" Sonny said in a high voice. _'Voice gets high when in denial…'_ he thought as he added to his list of "Things about Sonny".

"But it's not?" Chad asked knowingly.

Sonny sighed and nodded her head. Her shoulder's slumped in defeat and she gave Chad a weak glare. "No"

"What's the big deal?"

"I have a fear of motels" she admitted. Chad couldn't hold in the laughter that fell out of his lips. "It's not funny!" Sonny protested as she smacked his shoulder. Chad tried to control his laughter as he rubbed his shoulder. He took in a deep breath before smiling apologetically at Sonny.

"I'm sorry, but that was so random. How are you afraid of a building?"

"It's not the building that I'm afraid of…it's murderers coming into your motel room and chopping you up into bits" she said with a completely serious face. Chad shook his head.

"I think you've seen one too many horror movies, Sonny"

"I know! And I hate horror movies! But Lucy makes me watch them all the time, and now I hate motels. I can't have a hotel room all to myself…" she glanced around at the other passengers. "Maybe someone will room with me…" she muttered.

One of the other male passengers- probably around twenty years old- had been listening to their conversation and leaned in towards them. "Excuse me, I couldn't help but overhear your conversation…miss, I would room…" he began. Chad glared at him and wrapped an arm around Sonny.

"Sorry, but Sonny has a roommate."

"I do?" Sonny blinked glancing at Chad.

"Yeah, me. So tough luck buddy" Chad said icily. The older man took the hint and lifted his hands up in his defense. "Whatever man"

Sonny turned to face Chad and raised an eyebrow at him. "What was that all about?" she asked.

Chad removed his arm from around her and rolled his eyes. "You honestly can't be that naïve, Sonny. Were you honestly going to let that guy room with you? You don't even know him!"

"I barely know you!" she countered. "I barely know anyone on this damn bus"

"Sonny, I did you a favor. Why are you yelling at me? As far as you know that guy's a pervert"

The girl crossed her arms and pouted. She knew Chad was right, but she hated admitting that. "Fine, whatever. So are you really going to room with me?" she asked hesitantly.

Chad shrugged. "Yeah, I guess .We just have to make sure we get two beds"

"Of course we are! I mean, what kind of girl do you think I am Chad Dylan Cooper!"

Chad laughed. "Chill _Allison_. No need bring out the whole full name arsenal on me"

"Okay everyone! I'm pulling into the motel. Gather the things you'll need for the night and get out! Marty needs his shut-eye" the man joked. Sonny giggled and grabbed her carry-on case. Chad mimicked her actions and then the both stood up and headed to the main desk. There was an elderly man standing behind the counter sipping a mug of coffee. Sonny approached first and a line formed behind her slowly.

"Good afternoon, sir!" she chirped.

The man glanced at her through his square rimmed glasses. "Hello Miss. How may I help you?"

"You could help us by giving us one bedroom with two beds…" Chad said as he took out his wallet.

"Certainly," he opened a drawer with a bunch of keys and picked one. "Here you go. Room 143. That would be $104" the man said.

Sonny winced and glanced through her purse for her credit card but Chad beat her to the punch. He handed the old man his credit card and paid for the room. "Chad!" Sonny protested.

"Its fine, Sonny. It's my room too"

"But…"

"All right! Thank you Mr. Cooper. Enjoy your stay" the man said returning Chad's credit card.

Chad smirked and grabbed the keys. He motioned for Sonny to get out of the line and she begrudgingly followed after him. "Don't be so glum, Sonny. It doesn't suit you" Chad was way too happy that he had won so all that Sonny could do was roll her eyes.

They reached their room and walked in. They dropped their things on their separate beds and then sat down. "So, it's only six o'clock…I know we're not going to bed anytime soon…want to head into town?" Chad asked.

Sonny smiled at him and nodded her head. "Sure! We could do some window shopping"

Chad's face wrinkled in distaste which just made Sonny laugh at him. "Come on, it was your idea"

"Maybe staying in isn't such a bad idea after all…" he murmured. Sonny rolled her eyes. "I'm going to the bathroom to change, be right back" she announced as she picked out a few clothes from her bag. She entered the bathroom and closed it behind her. Chad lay back on his bed and stared at the ceiling. What had he gotten himself into? He hated shopping, and window shopping was no exception. He rolled over and traced the pattern on his bed sheets. Chad let out a heavy sigh and glanced at the bathroom door just as Sonny opened it.

Sonny came out with her old clothes bundles under her arm. She was wearing a light blue blouse and a pair of dark blue skinny jeans. She had a white chocker necklace and her hair was tied back into a low pony-tail. All in all, Chad thought she looked adorable. He felt his cheeks warm up and glanced away immediately before Sonny could notice.

"Well Chad, I'm ready. You gonna change?" she asked as she dropped her clothes in her bag. Chad shook his head and ran a hand through his hair in an order to claim back his cool.

He glanced at Sonny and smiled. "Sonny, Sonny, Sonny…I'm a guy. If I'm just gonna come back and shower in like…two hours, why bother?"

Sonny smirked and shook her head. "Well, let's go then"

The two exited the room- making sure that they had their keys with them- and then decided to just walk around and head over to the town's mini mall. They passed a few stores and Sonny squealed when she saw that they had a pet shop. She all yanked Chad's arm off as she dragged him inside. There was a girl behind the main counter reading a magazine and it was an animal lover's paradise every where else.

Puppies, kittens, birds, fish, snakes and cute little rodents were every where in cages and glass displays. Sonny grinned as she stopped in front of one of the pens with a golden retriever puppy. She cooed at it and made little kissy faces at it. She glanced at the name on the tag of the pen.

"Aw, his name is Chandler. Isn't he adorable, Chad?" she asked glancing over at the boy. Chad had been standing behind her watching her curiously. He had never been much of an animal lover, but he didn't hate them either. Well, he hated parrots because one had bit him when he was a child, but that was beside the point. He didn't understand what the huge appeal of dogs and cats were. They were just creatures that drooled and crapped all over the place and you had to clean up after them. Where was the fun in that?

"I guess he's a'ight" he shrugged as he moved closer.

Sonny's brown eyes widened at Chad. "What do you mean! He's so adorable! Don't you like dogs?" she asked.

Chad shrugged his shoulders again. "I've never had one, and I've never really seen their appeal"

"My gosh! When we get to L.A. and we make it big, remind me to get you a puppy. You don't know what you're missing!" she shook her head and glanced around to see what other animal caught her eye. Chad smiled and followed after her. A few minutes later the teenagers exited the store. Sonny glanced at her watch and realized that they had already spent two hours out between the stores and the pet store. "Wow, time goes by fast, doesn't it?"

Chad glanced at his cell and realized the time. "Are you hungry? Because I am…"

Sonny took out her wallet and waved it in the air. "How about dinner on…" Suddenly a blur bumped into Sonny and her wallet disappeared from her hands. "Me?" she exclaimed when she realized she no longer had her wallet with her.

The girl twirled around just to see a masked man running down the street with her wallet. "STOP! THEIF! SOMEONE STOP HIM THAT MAN STOLE MY WALLET!" Sonny shouted as she sprinted after the man. Chad groaned. This could only happen to Sonny on a basically empty street. '_Well, somebody has to make sure she doesn't get herself killed…_' he thought as he chased after her.

She stopped after a few minutes of chasing. She had lost the man and tears stung at her eyes. Her side was throbbing because she was having running cramps. She gasped as she rested her hands on her knees. Sonny gasped as she tried to control herself. "Sonny! Are you okay?" she heard Chad's voice call as he caught up with her.

"No…no, I'm not…Chad, I lost him…"she explained as she straightened up to face him.

"It'll be fine, Sonny" he said moving closer to comfort her. Sonny stepped away from the blond angrily and glared him- tears in her eyes.

"Chad! I just lost EVERYTHING!" she shouted. Chad was taken aback by her outburst. "Sonny, we'll call the credit card company and cancel your card. What else do you have to worry about…your phone is in your pocket right?"

Sonny rolled her eyes. "That's not the point, Chad! I lost all my money! How the hell am I going to make it in LA if I won't even be able to find a hotel to stay at for a night let alone for a weekend! I just lost my chance…I lost _everything_" she ranted.

"Sonny…come on, let's go back to the room. We'll figure something out," Chad spoke gently as he wrapped an arm around the younger girl's shoulder. Sonny sniffled and let out a strangled sob. "I can't believe I get so close to L.A. and this happens"

When they entered the hotel room, Sonny headed straight for the phone. First thing she did was call the credit card company and let them know that her cards had been stolen. After that she hung up and took a deep breath. Chad stared at her for a moment. "It's going to be okay, Sonny. I know it will…you're getting to Hollywood and you're going to wow them" he said as he sat down in the bed in front of her.

Sonny glanced at him with red, puffy eyes and smiled weakly. "Yeah right…"

She picked up the phone and dialed. It only took a few moments for the person on the other line to pick up. "Luce?"

"Lucy, calm down. I'm fine…yes; I know I sound like crap….Luce the worst thing just happened…" Sonny went on to explain the situation to her best friend. She was near tears again by the end. "So…I'm probably going to have to head back…could you tell Mom that…"

Chad's eyes widened. He took the phone out of her hands and spoke to the girl on the other line.

"Lucy? No- no…Sonny is fine. My name is Chad, and I've been hanging out with Sonny during this trip. I'm not gonna let her go back on her dream, I'll pay for all her expenses. I know you don't trust me, Lucy, and Sonny has told me enough about you that I know you just want what's best for her. I'll take care of her, so don't tell her mom where she is just yet, okay? We'll contact you when we get to LA. All right…you want to talk to Sonny?"

Chad passed the receiver towards the stunned girl. "Hello?"

"Sonny? Well, I don't know what Chad's plan is, but I believe him. But if you don't call me tomorrow I'm going to call your mom and let her know what's happened, okay? Love you, Sonny. Talk to you soon!" then the line was dead. Sonny glared at up at Chad.

"You are not paying for me, Chad. You need to save your money. You need it just as badly as I do" she explained as she put the phone back on the hook.

Chad ignored the girl and took some cokes out from the mini fridge. He handed one to Sonny and she took it with a sigh. "You're still not paying for me, Chad"

"Sonny…what have you learned about me in these passed two days?" he asked. Sonny raised an eyebrow at him.

"You're incredibly stubborn, you have a huge ego, but you do have your moments"

"So, does any of that lead you to think that I'll listen to anything you say when I want to do something else?" he smirked as he took a sip of his coke. Sonny sighed and gave him a soft glare. "I hate you, Chad"

"But you have to love me cause I protect you from perverts, get you cokes, and keep you save from serial killers" he teased. Sonny's eyes widened. She grabbed a pillow from her bed and chucked it at the blonde boy's head. He ducked it just in time with a laugh.

"Nice try, Munroe"

"You are so impossible, Cooper" she glared.

* * *

_A/N:_ Okay guys! That's it! I was going to have a huge Channy fight, but it didn't seem right. So, I hope you guys like the way it turned out! My sister is annoying me to get off the computer and she's talking in a _really_ bad country accent. She's a little…high? I guess you would say. (My sister: I am not high! I am hyper…there's a difference!) Okay, she wants me to stop now, so I'll let you guys go. Read and Review!


	6. Living Just to Find Emotion

_A/N:_ Hey guys! Sorry it took me a little longer than usual to get this chapter out! I hope you can all forgive me! This chapter is a lot of fun, and yay! They finally make it to LA! Let me know what you guys think!

EDIT: June 23rd, 2009- for some reason this chapter has been really hard to write. I wasn't too sure how to fill in some spaces so it turned into this. I hope it isn't too horrible!

**Dedication:** I dedicate this chapter to Carrie (sonnycentral)! She made me the most amazing trailer on youtube. She's just so freaking amazing, and the most brilliant writer! If you haven't read her stories, you should be ashamed and you should check them out right now! The link to her trailer is in my profile! So check it out!

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Don't Stop Believing

by 0TwistedAngel0

Chapter 5: Living Just to Find Emotion

The third day on the bus was quiet. Sonny and Chad didn't say much of anything. Chad stared out the window and Sonny read a book. They both had a lot on their minds and didn't feel much like talking. In a few hours they would be in Hollywood, the land of their hopes and dreams. Everything that they had ever hoped for was just within their reach. Sonny closed her book and let out a sigh. It was time to break the silence.

"Are you nervous?" she asked. Chad turned his head to glance at her and shrugged.

"Not really. I'm just a little anxious. I've been waiting for this for so long, I really want the part."

"Then there's no reason that you won't get it. You're going to wow them." Sonny smiled reassuringly as she placed a hand over his. Chad glanced down at their hands a moment before looking up at Sonny. She quickly removed her hand and looked away bashfully. Chad cleared his throat and turned to face the girl completely.

"When we get to LA, you have to remember to call Lucy." he reminded her. Sonny nodded her head without glancing up at Chad. She had too many thoughts running through her mind.

She couldn't believe that she had actually left home without her mother's permission and gone half-way across the country. She was surprised that her mother hadn't been harassing her to find out where she was. Sonny still had her cell phone, but none of the calls she received were from her mother. It made Sonny think; was her mom really okay with what she was doing? It couldn't be that. What was keeping her mom from calling her and demanding she return home?

Chad knew that his father wouldn't worry. He had gone all over the States for auditions and jobs without him. Of course, all those times Chad went with his agent, but Chad was smart enough to pick up on things. He was street smart. It was why bad things didn't happen to him. Chad knew what he was doing. He glanced at Sonny and saw her fidgeting again. He smiled slightly at the sight.

"You'll be great too, Sonny. So Random would be stupid not to hire you right on the spot." the boy told the nervous girl beside him. Sonny glanced up at him and smiled brightly. Suddenly, the bus started stopping and going. It sent all the passengers jerking forward slightly and then jerking back.

Chad and Sonny held on to the seats in front of them trying to settle themselves. "Marty? What's going on?"

Marty was glancing at all of the functions of his bus a look of concentration on his face. "I'm not too sure, Sonny. It's obvious something's wrong with the bus, I just hope…" he trailed off as the bus began to slow down. Marty quickly pulled over on the side of the road as the bus died. Sonny stared anxiously at the bus driver.

"What's going on, Marty?" she asked. Marty sighed and stood up to face everyone on the bus. "I'm sorry everyone. Looks like something is wrong with the bus. I'll call for some help, but we're going to be a few hours late getting to LA." he informed everyone.

A few people groaned in annoyance or disappointment. Sonny, however, felt like she had stopped breathing. Her brown eyes focused on the blonde boy beside her. His eyes were wide with surprise and worry. Sonny turned to look at Marty again.

"But Marty…can't you call for another bus? I _need_ to get to LA on time…Chad and I have auditions!" she protested. Marty sighed and shook his head while he took out his cell. "I'm sorry, Sonny. There's really nothing I can do. You're just going to have to wait."

Sonny sat back in disbelief. This couldn't be happening. Chad hadn't said a word. His audition was at noon. It was already nine. How long would they have to wait? He couldn't miss his audition. He couldn't. He buried his face in his hands trying to find a way to get away from the thought. He couldn't afford to start stressing now. Sonny glanced at him and leaned towards him slightly. She placed a hand on his back and started rubbing it gently.

"It'll be okay, Chad. You'll see. The bus'll get fixed and we'll be in LA in no time!" Sonny said cheerfully. She was trying to cheer Chad up, but at the same time she was desperately trying to convince herself of what she was saying. Chad let out a sigh and glanced up at her. He nodded.

"I guess you're right. There's no point in worrying about it…"

Sonny stared at him. He wasn't going to let it go, and she knew there had to be a way to get him out of the rut he was attempting to dig himself into. What could make Chad forget his troubles and focus on something else? The only things that Chad really cared about what his acting career, and his sister. Wait that was it! Sonny blinked her eyes and refocused on Chad.

"Hey Chad, have you called your sister?" she asked curiously. Chad gave her an odd look and then thought for a moment. Had he called Leah? His eyes widened when he realized that he hadn't.

"Crap! Leah is going to be so mad at me," he muttered as he quickly reached for his cell and dialed his sister's cell phone number. It rang twice.

"Hello?"

Chad grinned hearing his younger sister's voice. "Lee? Hey, it's Chad," he began. Leah's gasp cut him off on the other end.

"You jerk! Why haven't you called?"

"Well, I'm calling now aren't I?" he said trying to lighten the mood. He could just see his sister glaring at him and he sighed. "Okay, I'm sorry, Leah. I've just had a lot on my mind and I forgot to call you. I'm so sorry."

"Gee, some brother you are. You promised you would call me." Leah protested.

"I know, sis. I'm sorry. How are things at home?"

Leah sighed. "Well, Dad was pissed off that you went to LA without any supervision, but he's not worried. He's waiting for you to call with news about the audition so he can yell at you."

Chad chuckled and shook his head. "Yeah, that sounds like that." he glanced beside him and saw Sonny smiling. He smiled back at her. "But hey, today we're going to be getting to LA."

"That's great, Chad…wait, we?"

"Yeah, I've made a friend whose heading in the same direction as I am. Her name is Sonny, she's a'ight I guess." he smirked. Sonny glared at him and smacked his shoulder which made the Detroit native wince and laugh.

"Ooh, a girl?" Leah teased. Chad rolled his eyes. "Yes, a girl. Would you like to talk to her?"

"Sure!"

Chad handed the phone over to Sonny who took it with a hesitant look. "Hello?"

"Hi, person! Sonny was it? I'm Leah."

Sonny smiled at the voice of the young girl. She had seen her picture in Chad's wallet and now she had a voice to go with the face. It was nice.

"Yes, I'm Sonny. It's nice to finally talk to you, Leah. You know Chad talks about you so much." Sonny said with a small smirk as she glanced at Chad. The boy rolled his eyes at her. He mouthed the word 'thanks' to her and she just winked at him.

"Oh really? Well, I could tell you a couple things about _him_." Leah said thinking her brother was talking bad about her.

"Oh, don't worry, Leah. He hasn't said anything bad about you, but I can keep tabs on him, if you want."

Leah laughed on the line and Sonny grinned. "Sounds like a plan, Sonny. Make sure you remind Chaddy to call more often! I miss him."

Sonny wanted to thank Leah for giving her a new nickname to tease Chad with. It was perfect. "Oh, don't worry, Lee. I'll make sure _Chaddy_ calls more often. Alright, bye." Sonny said as she hung up the phone.

Chad groaned and buried his face in his palm. "She didn't."

"Oh, but she did, _Chaddy. _Why didn't you tell me you had that nickname? It's so cute!" she teased as she pinched the boy's cheeks. He glared at her; his cheeks flushed. Chad looked out the window and slumped slightly in his seat out of embarrassment. Sonny smiled. He was so cute.

The thought almost made her jump. _'Did I just think that?'_ she asked herself. She studied Chad once again and her thoughts of how cute he looked did not leave. Sonny looked away and tried to sort through her thoughts. Since when did she start looking at Chad that way? He had been a pest and a friend but…she hadn't thought of him _that_ way. She hadn't thought of her and Chad in a situation where hugging would mean something more…where kissing could happen. Her stomach fluttered at the thought. _'Oh brother'_ she thought.

The two allowed the silence to take over them once again. After about fifteen minutes, Chad felt comfortable enough to start a conversation again.

"So, are you really going to call me Chaddy?"

Sonny turned to look at Chad and laughed softly. She shook her head. "No, I'm not. I might sometimes, but I'm gonna stick to calling you Chad."

"Good."

"Good." Sonny teased.

"Good!" Chad smirked leaning forward. Chad Cooper was never one to be outdone, and Sonny Munroe enjoyed a challenge.

"Good!"

"Good!"

"Good!"

"So, are we good?"

Sonny leaned forward and smiled. "Oh, we are so good."

After a moment of staring at each other, the two teens burst into laughter all the earlier awkwardness forgotten. They relaxed slightly and in no time, the bus assistance had arrived and the bus had been fixed.

"Well, I'm glad to say everybody, we are back on track! We'll be in LA in just two hours!"

Sonny squealed and clapped her hands together. "Great! We'll make it in no time!"

Chad smiled at the girl and shook his head. She was honestly too happy for her own good. It was that personality that made Sonny so unique, and so likeable. She had a way of working her way under your skin.

After two hours of anxious waiting and distractions, the bus pulled up at its final stop; the LA bus station. The group all rose in unison and started chattering as they picked up their things. Chad climbed out over Sonny and grabbed his stuff before letting her come out and pick her things up.

"Come on, kid! Keep it moving!" someone spoke from behind Chad. He rolled his eyes and glanced back. "Hold your horses, fella. Can't you see that a lady is gathering her things? You waited hours for the bus to be fixed, you can wait a few more seconds." Chad responded.

Sonny grabbed Chad by the arm and pulled him off the bus. "Are you trying to pick a fight? Come on, we have bigger things to deal with." she said. As they looked around, they noticed a man with a sign that said. "Mr. Chad D. Cooper."

"Chad, is he here for you?" Sonny asked pointing to the man.

Chad grinned and glanced at Sonny. "Yup. I talked to my agent last night, and arranged for a car to pick us up to take us to Condor Studios."

"You mean, I'm going to ride in an actual _limo_?" Sonny gasped her eyes widening. Chad laughed. "Careful, cowgirl. Your roots are showing." he teased.

Sonny glared at him and smacked his shoulder before walking towards the chauffeur. "Hi there." she smiled shyly. The man tipped his hat. "Hello, Miss Munroe. Mr. Cooper. I'm Benjamin. Mr. Russell wanted me to ask if you'd like to go to the Condor Studios first, or if you'd like to find a hotel."

Chad handed the chauffeur his belongings and then bent to pick up Sonny's. "We'd like to get to Condor Studios first. We're worried about making our auditions." he said.

"Of course, sir."

Benjamin carried as many bags as he could to the limo and placed them in the trunk before opening the door for Sonny and Chad. Sonny slid in first, and Chad followed suit soon after. It only took about ten minutes to get from the station to the studio and as they climbed out of the limo, Chad told Benjamin to turn off the car but wait for them there.

The two were just outside of Condor Studios. They're dreams were waiting for them inside. Sonny grabbed Chad's arm.

"Isn't this place beautiful?"

Chad just stared at Sonny with a small smile. Sonny turned to face him and then let out a laugh. She felt so giddy. She shoved him slightly before running off towards the studio. "Tag you're it!"

Chad stumbled back a bit and laughed. "No fair!"

The two ran all the way to front of the building and then stopped when the reached the security guard house. The guard stood up and gave them weird looks. Sonny gave the man a friendly smile.

"Sonny Munroe, and Chad Cooper. We have auditions inside." she said slightly out of breath.

The man took a look at his list and then glanced at the two of them. He nodded slightly. "Sure thing, kids. Go right in."

Chad and Sonny rushed to Stage 2- where Mackenzie Falls would be shot. Sonny's audition wasn't until later in the afternoon so Sonny decided to go with Chad for moral support. "Can you believe it? We're finally here." Sonny grinned. Chad laughed and nodded his head. "I know, it's so unreal."

They stopped in front of a secretary looking woman and a room full of people. Chad ran a hand through his hair to fix it up and then gave the woman a charming smile. "Hello there. I'm Chad Cooper, I have a callback audition with Mr. Condor."

The woman looked up and raised an eyebrow at him. She searched through a few of her papers and then looked up again. "You're late."

Chad sighed. "Yes, but…"

"I'm sorry. Mr. Condor was set to audition with you at noon. It's 3 o'clock right now. You missed your appointment."

"You don't understand."

"I'm sorry." the woman said before glancing behind him. "Mr. Jameson. You're up next."

Chad felt like all the wind had been knocked out of him. He glanced at Sonny, and then he wished he hadn't. Her eyes were full of concern and worry. It was almost as bad as pity. He looked away. He couldn't believe that after everything…it was over.

"Chad…" Sonny began.

"Sonny, just drop it." he said as he walked passed her.

* * *

_A/N:_ I had fun with that. :] What did you guys think? Again, I'm so sorry for taking so long to post this up. I feel bad. :[ Life just got in the way, y'know? I'm also beta-ing 2 stories and everytime I would get a breakthrough, I'd remember I had a chapter to edit. haha. Not that I'm blaming the lovely people who I beta for, they're stories are amazing and I feel special getting a first look, but it takes time.

Gah, I'm gonna stop making excuses. lol. Hey, who else was freaking happy to see Mackenzie Falls . Com? Honestly, I loved it xD Was anyone else annoyed that it was only Mackenzie, Trevor, Chloe, Devon, and Penelope? What happened to Portlyn? Hmph! I was insulted. So yes, please review and let me know what you thought!


	7. Singer in a Smokey Room

_A/N_: Hello readers and friends! I'm writing to you from my new laptop! ;D It's so exciting! I hope you all enjoy this chapter! I certainly enjoy all of the feedback I get from you guys! :] I'm so sorry I took so long to post this up! Oh! _**SPECIAL NOTE AT THE END! PLEASE READ!!**_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Sonny with a Chance or any of its characters. :)

* * *

Don't Stop Believing  
by 0TwistedAngel0  
Chapter Six: A Singer in a Smokey Room

Sonny followed after Chad as quickly as her feet would allow her. She couldn't believe that Chad wasn't going to get his audition. It made no sense. So, they were a little late getting there…did that mean that they had to shut down all possibilities? Her brown eyes followed Chad as he left Stage 2 and stomped passed the security guard in an angry huff. Sonny gave the man an apologetic smile and chased after her friend. She hadn't called after him, but she knew Chad was aware of her following him. Suddenly, Chad came to an abrupt halt. His head was down and his fists were clenched tightly. Sonny stopped a few feet away from him; fearing that if she got any closer he would explode.

"Sonny, at what time was your audition?" he asked quietly.

The brunette blinked her eyes in surprise. She hadn't been expecting him to ask her about that. Sonny took out her cell phone and checked the time. It was 3:15pm. She glanced back up before answering hesitantly. "My audition is at 3:30pm…" she trailed off.

Chad turned to face the girl with a fierce look in his eyes. "Well then, you don't have time to be trailing after me like a lost puppy dog. Get to Stage 3 and do your audition, and knock the pants of off those people."

"But what about you?"

"Did you not hear me, Sonny? You don't have time to be worrying about me. If you're going to make it in Hollywood, you're going to have to learn to start putting your needs in front of the needs of others. Otherwise, everyone is going to stomp all over you." Chad spoke harshly. Sonny winced at his tone. He had never been so blunt with her before.

"What are you going to do while I audition? Are you going to leave?" she asked quietly.

Chad stared coldly into her eyes for a moment before a flicker of compassion and guilt crossed his eyes. His shoulders slumped forward as he sighed in defeat. He couldn't do it. Even when he was pissed off beyond belief, Chad couldn't be cruel to Sonny. It wasn't humanly possible.

"No. I'll wait around for you. I do have to pay for your hotel room after all," he smiled weakly. Sonny was startled by the news.

"Wait, what? Chad, not again…"

"Sonny, do you have any money?" He didn't wait for her reply. "Do you have any contacts? Do you have any place to stay?"

Sonny crossed her arms defiantly and then glanced away from the boy in front of her. Chad smirked. "Yeah, that's what I thought. Now come on, go and have a great audition. You have my number right?" he asked.

The girl nodded her head and then sighed. "I'll talk to you later then?"

"Definitely."

Sonny turned and headed back towards Stage 3- the So Random set- her heart fluttering with nerves.

"Oh, and Sonny…" Chad called after her. Sonny paused and glanced back over her shoulder.

"Break a leg," Chad said with a charming smile. The Wisconsin girl couldn't help but smile back as she felt the butterflies hit her stomach harder than before. She giggled and then headed off to follow her dreams. Chad watched her go with a bittersweet smile. He was so happy for Sonny and he was glad that she still had a shot at her dream…but he couldn't feel completely satisfied when he had worked so hard all his life to be a star.

And just when he thought his dreams were in reach, they were yanked away from him in the cruelest manner. It was heartbreaking, and devastating. It was also definitely something he didn't want Sonny to see. He was a _man_ for Pete's sake! He wasn't supposed to let things get to him so easily! His thoughts were interrupted by the loud growl coming from his stomach. He glanced down at it and gave it a weak glare.

"Stupid stomach." He muttered under his breath as he decided he might as well head over to the Commissary. He entered the commissary and took a look around the room. The room was full of mostly extras and a few TV celebrities. Nobody really caught his attention though, so Chad simply strolled to the cafeteria line.

He glanced at the food in front of him and then felt as if he was going to throw up. _'Ugh…what the heck is this? Oh god, I think that piece of food just moved…'_ Chad shook his head and stepped away from the food as quickly as possible.

As he took another step away from the food, he felt something collide with his back and he quickly turned around to see a brunette fall down to the floor.

"Ow!" she complained as she rubbed her back. Chad winced and then offered her a hand up. The girl glanced up, grabbed his hand, and pulled herself up. As she dusted herself off, Chad finally got a good look at her face. She was pretty cute. She had that typical actress look- pretty and down to earth. She had long brown hair and brown eyes to match. After she finished inspecting the damage, the girl looked at Chad again and smiled. She raised an eyebrow at him like she was expecting something. It was then that Chad realized he hadn't said anything.

He blinked and shook his head as if startled out of a trance. "Oh!" he laughed slightly as he extended a hand to her in greeting. "I'm really sorry about that, if you're thinking about eating here, I wouldn't recommend it…the food is frightening. I'm Chad."

The girl crossed her arms and smirked at him. "I'll take your word for it. I'm Portlyn." The girl said as she shook Chad's hand.

"That's a unique name," Chad commented as he shoved his hands inside his pockets. Her name sounded familiar to him for some reason. "It sounds familiar…"

Portlyn smiled and shook her head. "What are you here for?" she asked.

"What?"

"Why are you here at Condor Studios?"

"Oh! Yeah, well, I had callbacks for the lead in this new show 'Mackenzie Falls'…"

Portlyn gasped which stopped Chad in his tracks. "No way! So maybe that's why my name is familiar to you! My uncle is the producer of Mackenzie Falls, I have the part of Portlyn- Mackenzie's girlfriend." She explained.

Suddenly, Chad remembered every word from the scripts he had read about Mackenzie Falls. Mackenzie and Portlyn were the lead couple and things were always going wrong for them. Portlyn was described as a friendly, beautiful, and slightly airheaded girl. Chad had always imagined what his co-star would look like, and now he was staring straight into her eyes….only she wasn't his co-star.

"This is so exciting. I heard the Mackenzie callbacks were today, so how did you do?" Portlyn grinned. Chad sighed and glanced at the floor.

"Actually, I didn't get to audition." He admitted. Portlyn's face filled with confusion and Chad sighed. "If you want to ask me questions about this can we sit down or something?" Chad gestured to the fact that the two of them were just standing around in the middle of the commissary.

Portlyn smiled and nodded her head. She grabbed an empty chair at one of the tables and motioned for Chad to do the same. They sat down together and Portlyn studied Chad. "So, why didn't you get to audition?"

"I got here late, because I was taking a bus, and it broke down…" he explained. Portlyn gasped. "That's horrible! They wouldn't let you audition because of something you couldn't control? What did they say when you told them about the bus?"

"I didn't get to tell anyone. The secretary dismissed me before I could get to words out," Chad said angrily. It was obvious he was still upset with the secretary woman. Portlyn laughed and shook her head.

"Well, Chad, are you any good at acting?"

Chad moved back his face looking completely offended. "Why, Portlyn! How on Earth could you say something like that to me? That is an insult to my acting skills…honestly…I…" Chad sighed dramatically as he shook his head at the girl in front of him.

Portlyn let out a laugh and raised her hands at Chad to stop. "Okay, okay, I get it! You can stop now Mr. Drama Pants," she teased. Chad chuckled and then ran a hand through his hair. "So you see the brilliance that Mackenzie Falls could have had every week?" he said as he struck a pose looking at the ceiling which made Portlyn laugh again. She stared at Chad for a while and then smirked.

"You know what Chad? I like you, you've got a good vibe about you. I'm going to see if I can get my uncle to give you another shot…" she said. Chad's eyes widened to the size of plates.

"You're joking."

"Of course not. You're a good actor, and funny. You'd be good for Mackenzie Falls."

"My gosh, Portlyn, I would love you forever if you did that for me…I mean, honestly, we just met, you really have no reason to do that for me…" Chad said. As soon as the words left his mouth Chad wanted to kick himself. What was wrong with him? Was he _trying _to make Portlyn change her mind?

"I know, but I get a nice vibe from you. And it wouldn't be a fair audition if you got callbacks, and didn't get your chance to shine." Portlyn said. She stood up and smiled at Chad. "I'll go talk with my uncle right now, but here's my number. I need yours so we can keep in touch." She said.

Chad nodded his head and they exchanged phones and numbers before Portlyn head off to convince her uncle. Chad lay back in his chair and grinned. Maybe his dreams were still in reach.

* * *

Meanwhile at Stage 3, Sonny was staring at everything and everyone in awe. She couldn't believe she was actually on the stage where they shot her favorite TV show of all time! It was so exciting. She grinned as she turned and bumped into someone. Sonny looked up to excuse herself and gasped when she saw who it was.

"Oh my gosh! You're Mandy Richardson!" she squealed. Mandy stood in front of Sonny in all her glory. Her black hair was in a loose pony-tail and her green eyes glanced at Sonny curiously.

"Hi there…um…who are you?"

Sonny blushed when she realized what a fan girl she was being. She cleared her throat and then extended her hand out towards Mandy. "I'm Sonny Munroe…I'm here to audition for…your…spot…" she trailed off when she realized how awkward this could be. Sonny was auditioning to replace Mandy.

Mandy let out a laugh and shook her head. "Sonny, don't worry. It's fine. I know I'm being replaced, I got this movie deal in Europe, and so I can't do the show." She said. Mandy glanced at her watch, "I'm actually running a little late for rehearsal for my last show. Marshall should be on set…come on, I'll take you there."

Sonny smiled and followed after Mandy gratefully. She couldn't believe she was walking with Mandy! It was so odd standing next to a celebrity and having her be so down to earth and sweet. "So, what is your movie going to be about?" Sonny asked.

Mandy glanced at the girl beside her. "Oh, it's about this girl who gets send to summer camp and she meets this hot celebrity musician, whose become kind of a jerk, and she changes his ways." Mandy summarized. Sonny smiled.

"That sounds like a great idea."

"Yeah, well, here we are. The So Random set." Mandy said. Sonny glanced around and saw that they had the set ready for the gnome sketch. She loved that sketch! It was so hilariously funny! Sonny's eyes widened when they landed on a certain group of people. She let out a loud squeal that made Mandy wince.

"It's them! They- they're…they're…" she tried to form the words.

"The cast of So Random." Mandy laughed as she waved her friends over. Nico, Grady, and Zora rushed over while Tawni rolled her eyes but came by anyway.

"Hey Mandy, whose this?" Nico asked with a flirty grin. Sonny blushed and smiled at him.

"Hi guys, this is Sonny." She said. "Sonny, this is…"

"Nico, Grady, Zora, and Tawni Hart!" she said as she shook each of their hands. Tawni took her hand away from the girl quickly and gave her an odd look.

"Mandy, who _is_ this? You know Marshall doesn't like fans to be on set when we're rehearsing." Tawni said as she flipped her hair.

"Actually, I'm here to audition to replace Mandy…" she trailed off giving Mandy an apologetic look.

"What!" Tawni gasped suddenly very interested in the conversation. Mandy rolled her eyes at Tawni. Mandy knew Tawni liked the spotlight, and she knew that Tawni had been hoping to be the star once Mandy left. "You know, Marshall has been looking for people to take my place when I leave to do my movie, Tawni." She said slowly pretending to remind the blonde.

Tawni glared at Mandy quickly but then she put on a bright smile. "Oh, how great!" she said before taking out her phone to start texting. "Well, bye!" she said as she walked off.

Sonny glanced at the others. "Was it something I said?"

Mandy laughed. "No, you'll get used to Tawni if you get the part."

Nico and Grady nodded their heads. "Yeah, I'm sure you'll do great." Grady smiled.

Zora shrugged her shoulders and then glanced around. "Well, I have to go feed Bernie, nice meeting you Sonny." The twelve year old said as she raced off. Sonny gave the others a weird look. "Bernie?"

"Her snake." They answered in unison. At that moment, Marshall walked up to them.

"Why is nobody rehearsing?" Marshall asked as he walked up to the group. "Oh, hello there." He said as he saw Sonny. He stared at her face a moment before realizing who she was.

"Oh! You're Sonny Munroe! I'm glad you were able to make it!" Marshall said as he shook her hand. Sonny grinned.

"The pleasure was all mine, Mr. Pike. This is an amazing opportunity for me, I can't thank you enough for even considering me!" Sonny said. Marshall laughed.

"Oh Sonny, call me Marshall. Now, would you mind sitting in the audience for a minute? I know we were supposed to do your audition at 3:30pm but rehearsal is taking a little longer than I thought."

Sonny grinned wider- if that was even possible. "YES! Oh, I would love to sit in…thank you so much!" she waved at Mandy and the boys before rushing up the steps to get a good view. Mandy giggled and then she went with the boys to prepare for their sketch.

Suddenly, Sonny's phone vibrated and she picked it up. It was a text message from Chad.

Hey sonny! I'm heading over to Arcadia to grab something to eat…  
the stuff in the commissary was disgusting…  
I have my phone with me so call me when you're done with audition!  
How's it going by the way?

Sonny giggled and then quickly send him a reply.

It's going amazing! Bon apetit! I'll talk to you later!

The Wisconsin girl put her phone away and then glanced up to watch her favorite show in the making. She squealed to herself. She couldn't believe it. She had to be dreaming. Sonny glanced at her arm and pinched it. She winced. _'That hurt!'_ she thought. Suddenly, Sonny smiled again. So she wasn't dreaming…she giggled.

* * *

_A/N:_ Okay guys! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I just wanted to let you guys know that on Saturday I'm going on vacation. I won't be back until July 19th, but I will be taking my new laptop with me. :] So, I'll be working on chapters any time I get the chance! I was just letting you know that I might not update as soon as I'd like to! But I will be working on the chapters! Don't think I'm slacking off! Teehee. Alright, that's it! READ AND REVIEW!


	8. The Smell of Wine and Cheap Perfume

_A/N:_ Hello lovelies. Do you hate me for not updating sooner? You totally should! I need a harraser for this story. :) Someone who will send me a message every couple of weeks and be like "UPDATENOWZ! D". Enough author talk…I know that's not what you "tune in" for.

Oh, a little note for you guys.

_Italics- _Sonny  
_**Italics and Bold-**_ Chad  
Underlined- Both

**Disclaimers:** I do not own Sonny with a Chance or any of its characters. I am too poor for that.

* * *

Don't Stop Believing  
by 0TwistedAngel0  
Chapter 7: The Smell of Wine and Cheap Perfume

Sonny grinned as she shook Marshall's hand. She had just finished her audition and she felt increasingly confident about it. "Thank you so much, Mr. Pike. It means the world to me…"

"Sonny, I told you, it's Marshall. We have two other girls auditioning for the spot but you are by far my favorite." He told her as he leaned in a little closer as if it were a secret.

Sonny blushed under the praise. "Thank you, Marshall…do you know when the spot will be casted?" she asked hesitantly. How long would she have to agonize and ponder? How long would she have to wait until she found out if her dreams were coming true or if they were going to be crushed?

"Well, Mr. Condor himself is going to be here in a week to look at the audition tapes and choose the actors for several shows on the lot. So, probably a week, or week and a half before you know." Marshall said. Sonny's nerves began to kick in. A week? However, she smiled professionally and nodded her head.

"Thanks again, Marshall. Have a nice day." Sonny said as she gave him a hug. Marshall seemed surprised by her sudden show of affection and sonny smiled bashfully as she quickly pulled away. "Sorry, I'm a hugger." She admitted with a nervous laugh.

Marshall laughed it off and then said goodbye to Sonny before heading back to work. Sonny quickly took out her cell phone and sent Chad a text.

'_I just hugged the producer of so random…will it hurt my audition?'_

The girl pressed send and then began to make her way towards the Stage 3 exit. Her phone vibrated and Sonny saw she had received a reply from Chad.

'_hahaha, you dork. Don't worry, it probably just added to your charm. ;D'_

Sonny knew the text was completely innocent and that Chad could be a total flirt. So she didn't understand why she felt her cheeks warm up and a grin grow on her face. So what if Chad thought she was charming? It wasn't a big deal…Sonny pushed those thoughts away and texted him back.

'_why thank you! Meanwhile, I'm starving. Let's meet up for an early dinner! :D'_

Sonny waited for a moment and quickly received a reply.

'_sure thing but off the studio lot. Remember, the commissary food is disgusting. Meet me out front.'_

Instead of replying Sonny put her phone away and power walked to the studio entrance. There- leaning casually against a wall, looking more like a model than a bystander was Chad. Sonny smiled and called out his name. He turned at the sound and returned her smile. Chad wouldn't admit it, even to himself but being away from Sonny made him anxious. Sonny was just too naïve to be left alone in LA without some kind of escort. She couldn't believe that she had lived her entire life without mistrusting people, or doubting people's intentions. In Chad's world, everything was cut throat and gossipy. Sonny was so completely oblivious to his world that it actually scared him.

"Hey, ready to go?" he asked her as she came to a stop in front of him.

"Sure thing! You seem to be in a much better mood. What happened?"

Chad shrugged. "I'll tell you about it over food. Where do you want to go?"

The two of them made their way back to the limo. Chad opened the door for Sonny and she giggled. Her day was really going amazingly well- even in spite of the bus troubles from that morning. She slid inside and then Chad joined her a moment later. "Surprise me. I want to go somewhere fun though…no fancy stuff, okay?"

Chad stared at the girl in front of him for a moment. Suddenly, the perfect place came to mind. He knew Sonny would enjoy it. He told Benjamin the directions to the place he had in mind and then leaned back with a confident smirk on his face. Sonny raised an eyebrow at him. "What's up with you?"

"Oh nothing. I'm just going to prove that I know Allison Munroe amazingly well for someone who she just met a few days ago," he smirked as he pretended to flip his hair. "I am so amazing."

Sonny rolled her eyes. "Oh please, Chad. You're taking me to dinner…it's not like you've won the Nobel Peace Prize or something…"

"Oh maybe not, but I am confident that you're going to adore this place I'm taking you to. And you're going to have an amazing first day in LA." He spoke confidently as he leaned closer to her. Something about the way he was looking at her made Sonny's stomach flip. She opened her mouth to say something but nothing was coming out. Chad had her captured with his intense blue eyes and he didn't even realize it. Sonny quickly looked away and felt her cheeks turn red. What was that?

Chad gave Sonny an odd look. He was confused about what had just happened. One second the air between them was light and joking and the next… Well he wasn't too sure how to finish that sentence. He glanced away and looked out the window hoping to find a way to bring things back to how they had been. As he was thinking, Sonny broke the silence.

"My audition went really well. I have about a week before I found out if I made it." She said.

Chad turned to look at her. He nodded his head. "That's great, Sonny."

Sonny glanced at him and then looked away again. "So, where are we going?"

"That's for me to know, and for you to find out."

"Aw, come on! Why won't you tell me?"

"It's a surprise." Chad chuckled. The limo came to a stop and Chad grinned. Benjamin opened the door for them and they slid out. "Call Jason and have him make reservations at a hotel. One room, two beds. Take our things there would you, Benjamin?" Chad said as he pulled out his wallet and gave Benjamin a tip. The chauffeur nodded his head and then returned to the driver's seat. Sonny glanced up at the name of the restaurant they had arrived at.

"Orchid Restaurant and Café?" she asked as she gazed at Chad questioningly. Chad smiled and placed his hand on the small of Sonny's back.

"You'll see."

They walked up to the hostess and Chad gave her one of his charming grins. "Table for two, please." He asked her. The hostess appeared to be in her mid-twenties but that did not stop Chad's charm from working on her. The girl had that typically pretty look to her. She had green eyes and long black hair.

"Hi, I'm Cassie. Welcome to the Orchid." She said flirtatiously. Sonny rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. The woman was bordering on being a pedophile. Why couldn't servers just do their jobs instead of trying to get a date with every single one of their customers? A little voice at the back of Sonny's mind told her that this probably only always happened to Chad, and that's why it upset her, but she ignored it.

"Great. I'm Chad. Could you please seat us, Cassie?"

"Certainly." Cassie said as she grabbed a couple of menus and led them to a table near a stage. Sonny wondered why there was a stage in the middle of a restaurant but didn't worry about it too much. She focused her attention on Cassie and how disgustingly obvious she was being about Chad.

Sonny sat across from Chad and they both glanced at Cassie who stood in front of them with a small smirk. "We're running a bit low on waitresses tonight, so I'll also be your server." She glanced at Chad. "Would you and your _girlfriend_ like to order now or do you need a few minutes?"

"Oh, she's not my girlfriend." Chad said as he opened one of the menus. Sonny didn't know why she felt the urge to kick Chad's knee when he said that. Now, the waitress was going to be hitting on him all night! _'Not that I care or anything…_' she reassured herself. It was just annoying.

"Oh. My mistake. Would you like to start with some drinks?"

"Yes, I'd like a coke, and Sonny?"

Cassie turned her attention to Sonny and smiled in a way that almost seemed smug to the Wisconsin girl. "I'll have a coke too. Thanks." She said doing her best to be polite. She couldn't make a scene like she had with the Denny's waitress.

"I'll be right back with that." Cassie said as she walked away swinging her hips seductively as she did so. Sonny noticed that Chad's eyes wandered after their waitress for just a moment.

"You're a pig." Sonny said as she rolled her eyes and opened her menu. Chad looked at her with surprise and hurt.

"What?" he whined.

"I saw you checking out our waitress. You're so obvious, I'm surprised you weren't drooling on yourself." Sonny said.

Chad chuckled. "Hey, she's hot, and I'm a guy. I'm sorry…was that insulting to you?"

Sonny glared at him. "Whatever…so what's so special about this place?" she asked cooly. She didn't want to fight with him even if he did seem to have a double personality. Chad glanced behind her and then smiled. "You're about to find out…"

The brunette turned her head to follow his gaze and saw a young man standing on the stage. "All right. Ladies and gentlemen welcome to the Orchid. While you wait for your food, or simply if you feel like letting loose, please come on up and tell our DJ to play your song! The Orchid's karaoke bar is now open! Please enjoy your food, and the rest of your night!"

Sonny's eyes widened and she let out a laugh. She turned to face Chad who was smirking at her. "No way…this is a karaoke restaurant?"

"Do you like it?"

"Do I like it? I love it! Haha, Chad this is awesome. Come on!" Sonny suddenly stood up and grabbed Chad's arm taking him by surprise. What was the most shocking of all was the tingling that was going up his arm at her touch. His heart started pounding as he watched the smiling Sonny drag him towards the stage. She went to the DJ and glanced through their selections. Chad chuckled. "Sonny, I can't sing…" he said. The most singing Chad had ever done was in the shower, and he didn't feel like embarrassing himself in front a whole bunch of strangers. Sonny glanced at him and rolled her eyes. "Who cares? It's your fault for bringing me here anyway….did you expect us _not _to sing?"

"I expected you to be singing a solo…come on, Sonny…please?"

"Nope." Sonny handed him a microphone and motioned for the DJ to start the music. An instrumental beat filled the room and Chad raised an eyebrow at Sonny.

"Journey?"

"My mom always played classic rock for me while I was growing up. What can I say, I'm an old soul. Besides, Don't Stop Believing is like…_the_ karaoke song. You can't not sing it! You go first!" Sonny whispered. Chad glanced at the room and took in a deep breath. If it were anyone but Sonny…

"_**Just a small town girl…living in a lonely world. She took the midnight train going anywhere."**_

"_Just a city boy…born and raised in South Detroit. He took the midnight train going anywhere."_

Chad was amused by how well the song described them in the beginning.

"_**A singer in a smoky room"**_

"_The smell of wine and cheap perfume"_

"For a smile they can share the night, it goes on, and on and on, and on! Strangers waiting up and down the boulevard, their shadows searching in the night. Street light people living just find emotiong. Hiding somewhere in the night!" 

"_**Working hard to get my fill, everybody wants a thrill!" **_

"Paying anything to roll the dice, just one more time!"

"_**Some will win,"**_

_"Some will lose. Some were born to sing the blues. Another movie never ends it goes on, and on, and on and on."_

Sonny twirled her way around stage and got the crowd moving and singing along. She was shaking her hips and grabbing Chad and moving him as well. Chad laughed as he watched Sonny do a couple of silly moves just to get a laugh out of the crowd. She was born for the spotlight. He grinned as he watched her and sang alone. He let her take the lead on most of the vocals if only to avoid singing. Sonny seemed to be in her zone.

After the song the two of them received a standing ovation, and Sonny laughed and thanked the crowd graciously. They went back to their seats and Carrie was waiting for them to take their orders. She seemed changed though, she was being increasingly professional. Sonny was surprised that she wasn't hitting on Chad. Carrie took their orders and went to get their food. Chad glanced at Sonny and laughed again.

"You have an amazing voice."

Sonny blushed. "Thanks, you're not so bad yourself."

"I'm mediocre compared to you…in singing anyway…I think I'm the better ac-tor." He smirked as he ran a hand through his hair dividing the word "actor" into two syllables.  
"You just totally ruined a potentially sweet moment, Chad." She said shaking her head and taking a sip of her drink.

"Chad?" a voice called out. The two teenagers turned their heads and saw a smiling brunette make her way over to them. Sonny glanced at Chad to see if he knew this girl who obviously knew him. Chad smiled as he recognized the girl approaching them.

"Portlyn, hey!" Chad stood up and gave the girl a friendly hug and Sonny was shocked by the pang of jealousy that hit her stomach. "What are you doing here?"

"I was just grabbing a bite to eat. I saw your performance. Who's your friend?" Portlyn asked as she turned to look at Sonny. "I saw your performance, it was amazing!"

"This is my friend, Sonny Munroe. Sonny, this is Portlyn. I didn't get the chance to tell you about her yet…" Chad said.

"Nice to meet you, Portlyn. So, um how do you know Chad?"

"Oh, I just met him today. I heard that he missed his audition for the show I'm on, and I decided to see if I could pull some strings...and…" she paused for dramatic effect and grinned at Chad.

"What? Come on, Port, don't keep me in suspense!"

Sonny gave Chad an odd look. Port? He had known her for a day, and Portlyn already had a nickname? He had known Sonny longer than that, and _she_ didn't have a nickname. The other two teens didn't sense Sonny's hostility and went about their conversation.

"My uncle is letting you audition again! Mr. Condor is coming to the studio in a week, and you get to audition in person with him!" Portlyn announced. Sonny's eyes widened and Chad cheered as he pulled Portlyn into another hug. "That is amazing! Thank you so much! I can't believe you…my God, thank you!" he laughed. He turned and looked at Sonny. "Sonny, isn't this amazing!?

Sonny smiled. She was very happy for Chad. She just had some mixed feelings at the moment. "Chad, I am so excited for you!" she grinned. Now was not the time to be feeling confused, so she was just going to do what all great actors do. Play it off! Portlyn smiled at both of them and suddenly looked at her watch.

"Oh darn. I have to go. I'm glad I ran into you Chad. I wasn't planning on telling you the news until tomorrow." Portlyn paused to smile at Sonny. "It was great meeting you, Sonny. I hope to see you around." She gave them both a wave and then left the restaurant.

"She seems…nice." Sonny said after a moment of silence.

"Yeah. She's pretty cool. Way too nice." Chad agreed as he lifted his hand. "Check please!"

Carrie came quickly and handed Chad the check. "Here you go. I hope you enjoyed your meal." She smiled. Chad nodded his head. He pulled out his credit card and handed it to Carrie. He glanced at Sonny. "I'm going to the bathroom for a second. It won't take long…" he said getting up.

Sonny nodded her head and then sighed. Carrie's eyes followed Chad and then she sat down quickly in front of Sonny. The girl raised an eyebrow.

"What are you doing?"

"I have to make this quick, but I saw that other girl come in…don't give on up on that cutie just yet , okay?"

"What are you talking about? There's nothing going on between Chad and me…" Sonny said. She was completely freaked that the waitress was talking to her like this. What was wrong with her? "And anyways, you were the one totally flirting with Chad earlier…"

"Yeah, that was until I saw the way he looked at you up on that stage." Carrie said. Sonny kept staring at her. "Girl, that boy is totally into you. He might not know it yet, but he really likes you…a lot. That's why I backed up. I don't like being the girl the guy realizes later he's not interested in." Carrie explained. She flipped her hair over her shoulder and then glanced behind her. She saw Chad exit the men's room and quickly stood up.

"Whatever happens, don't give up on him." Carrie quickly went to go pay for Chad and Sonny's meal with Chad's credit card while Chad stood in front of Sonny.

"Ready to go?" he asked. Sonny glanced up at a moment trying to process what Carrie had said. She shrugged and decided that the waitress was obviously reading too much into things. "Yeah," she smiled. "Let's go."

Carrie gave Chad his credit card back and gave Sonny a knowing look that made her uncomfortable. Benjamin picked them up and took them to their hotel. Chad got the keys from the chauffeur and Sonny wished him a good night. They went up to their room and Sonny glanced around. Her eyes landed on a clock. "Wow, is it nine already? Man, the time passes by fast!"

Chad nodded his head. "Yeah, man, it's been a long day."

Sonny nodded her head. Suddenly, her phone started mooing. She quickly picked up without glancing at the caller ID. "Hello?"

"Sonny? Thank God, you're okay! Why didn't you pick up when I called you earlier?"

"Lucy? What's wrong?"

"Sonny, I called you earlier and you didn't pick up, so I got worried and I told your Mom…"

"Lucy! You didn't!"

Sonny heard the shuffle of the phone being passed. "Lucy?"

"Sonny. It's your Mom. Lucy and I are coming to L.A."

In the background Sonny heard a voice over an intercom. _'Flight 465 to Los Angeles, California now boarding'_

"I have to go, honey. I'll see you soon."

Sonny hung up the phone in shock. Chad watched her with a worried expression on his face. When she didn't speak, he broke the silence. "Sonny? What is it?"

"My mom is coming to California."

* * *

_A/N: _Wow. That turned out a lot longer than I expected. Please review! I worked hard on this chapter! :] Let me know what you think of it!


	9. Streetlight People

_A/N:_ Hey guys! How's it going? :] I decided it was time for an update! I'm going to do my best to update as much as I can in my last few days of summer. I go back to school August 13 and I'll try my best to keep the updates frequent, but there will be a point where the work begins and my updates are going to be far in between. I just wanted to give you guys a heads up.

Now, on to the chapter!

* * *

Don't Stop Believing  
by 0TwistedAngel0  
Chapter 8: Streetlight People

Chad stared at Sonny in surprise. "Why are they coming? I thought Lucy wasn't going to tell her if you called…" he gave her a weird expression. Suddenly, Sonny slapped her forehead.

"I can't believe I forgot to call! Man, I was so excited about everything that I forgot to call Lucy and tell her everything was okay! Oh man," Sonny sighed as she sat down on her bed and hid her face in her hands. Chad sat next to her and stroked Sonny's hair in a comforting manner.

"Its okay, Sonny. I mean, it's not like she's going to take you back home…" Chad's eyes widened as he thought of the possibility. He looked down at the girl next to him. "You don't think she'd do that do you? I mean, you already auditioned! They're going to tell you if you got the part in a couple of days!"

Sonny glanced up at Chad with a sad look on her face. She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I mean, that's just it, I already auditioned. She could say that we're going home, and that Marshall can call to tell me if I got the part." She pouted. Sonny didn't like that idea. She wanted to stay in LA to find out the news. She wanted to experience the city…she took a hesitant glance at Chad who was in deep thought. She wanted to stay with Chad.

It was odd how she had suddenly grown dependent of him in the short amount of time they had known each other. She needed to be with Chad to feel calm about anything that was happening now. Being around him made things less nerve wracking. She didn't want to be torn away from him so quickly. Especially when he needed her support! He was going to be auditioning for the role of his dreams! What kind of friend would she be if she wasn't with him, the way he had been there for her?

"Well, there's no use worrying about that now." Chad said with a confident smile. Sonny snapped out of her daze and she smiled weakly at him. She nodded her head. "I guess you're right."

"Hey, there is no guessing. This is me we're talking about." He said teasingly. Sonny laughed which is exactly the reaction he had been wanting. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder- once again ignoring the tingle at the contact- and gave her a quick squeeze.

"Relax, Sonny. Everything will be fine." He let go and then stood up. Sonny had an expression of surprise on her face. Why was her heart racing suddenly? It couldn't have been because of Chad right? Chad turned to face her and she quickly looked up at him.

"What time does your mom's plane arrive?"

"Oh," Sonny said as she realized she didn't know. "Mom never told me. She just said she was coming, and she had to go. She was already at the airport. I heard the number of her flight over the intercom though." She said.

Chad nodded his head. He glanced around their room and was glad when he noticed a laptop computer on top of a desk in the corner. "Ah, perfect. We can check the status of her flight in the morning."

"Yeah, I'm suddenly really tired." Sonny said with a bashful smile. Chad chuckled and shook his head. "I'm going to shower. You want to use the bathroom first or what?" he asked.

Sonny dismissed him with a wave of her hand. "Go shower. I want to think for a little bit."

The blond nodded his head. He understood that she probably wanted some time alone to herself. He grabbed a towel and some clothes before walking into the hotel bathroom. Sonny lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. She just traced patters in the ceiling with her mind as she tried to relax herself. Nothing bad was going to happen. Once her mother arrived, nothing was going to change. She would be staying in LA for the remainder of the week. She would help Chad through his audition.

Chad came out of the shower about twenty minutes later and Sonny turned her head to face him. She felt her cheeks heat up slightly. Chad was wearing a pair of basket ball shorts, and a wife beater that showed off his toned arms. Sonny looked away and hoped that Chad hadn't noticed her staring. Chad dried his hair with a towel and then addressed Sonny. "You can go in now."

Sonny nodded her head quickly grabbed her clothes and entered the bathroom. She closed the door behind her and placed a hand on her heart. _'It's nothing,_' she told herself. She shook her head and then decided a nice shower was just what she needed. When she came out of the shower, she peaked out of the bathroom hesitantly. She was wearing pajama shorts and a tank top and after seeing Chad in his sleepwear, she didn't think she felt comfortable.

'_Come on, Sonny. Don't be a wimp. Just go out into the room already!'_ she said to motivate herself.

Sonny took in a deep breath and then stepped out of the bathroom as calmly as her nerves allowed her. She then saw that all her worry had been for nothing. She smiled as she saw Chad fast asleep in his bed. Sonny watched him for a moment. He looked so peaceful. He really had a face of an angel. Sonny was surprised by her thoughts and shook her head. What was she doing?

"I need some sleep…" she muttered. Yeah, that was it. She wasn't fully rested! She put her dirty clothes away, and then climbed into her bed. Everything was going to be fine tomorrow. Still, Sonny couldn't completely shake that ominous feeling as she fell asleep.

* * *

Chad woke up the next morning to a loud "eep". He rubbed his eyes and blinked them open only to see Sonny hopping around the room. He groaned and sat up. "Sonny, what's wrong with you?"

"I checked my mom's flight status. Her plane got here twenty minutes ago! I also got a text from Lucy saying they were coming to THIS hotel!"

Chad blinked at her. "So?"

"So? My mom is coming over here and I told Lucy our room number! They're going to be here any minute!"

"Again, what's the big deal?" Chad asked as he stretched his arms over his head. Sonny rolled her eyes and then gestured to her clothing. Chad finally realized she was still in her pajamas. He smirked slightly seeing the shortness of her pajama bottoms. "I don't see anything wrong with that." He teased.

Sonny blushed and rolled her eyes. "I'm serious, Chad. Once my mom sees that we shared a room, she'll never look at me the same way again!"

"There are two beds, Sonny and it's not like we're clad in our 'birthday suits'" he said as he lay back. Sonny groaned and shook her head. "I'm going to change my clothes. _Please _change yours too." She said as she grabbed a pair of jeans and a new top.

Chad rolled his eyes and then watched Sonny go to the bathroom. He yawned and closed his eyes. There was a knock on the door though that stopped him from falling asleep. He sighed and then kicked the covers off of him. Chad stood up and let out another yawn before he opened the door to reveal a woman with dark brown hair and a girl with light brown hair staring at him with surprise. Chad stared at them a moment before he heard the bathroom door open. He glanced behind him and saw Sonny come out fully dressed. She turned to face him and her eyes widened when she saw who was at the door.

"Sonny?" the older woman said.

"Mom!" Sonny laughed nervously as she moved forward to hug the woman. "Lucy!" she said hugging the girl. Chad suddenly realized that the people at the door were Sonny's mother and her best friend. He let out an embarrassed cough as he scratched the back of his head. Sonny's mom looked up at him curiously and then back at her daughter.

"Sonny, who is this?"

Sonny glanced back at Chad and then looked at Lucy. "Lucy didn't tell you?"

The Lucy girl gasped. "_That's_ Chad?" she asked in surprise.

"Hi Lucy!" he gave her small wave. Sonny's mom still seemed to be out of the loop. "No, Lucy didn't tell me anything about a 'Chad' person."

"Well, come in, Mom." Sonny said. Explaining her situation with Chad wasn't something she wanted to do with her mom in the hotel hallway. Lucy and her mom walked in with their luggage trailing behind them. Chad closed the door behind them and then sat on his bed as everyone else got comfortable.

"Well, Mom. This is Chad Cooper." She said motioning to the blond boy. He gave Sonny's mom a shy smile and nodded his head. "Chad, this is my mom, Connie Munroe. Oh, and my best friend Lucy. But you guys have already talked."

"Nice to meet you, Chad." Connie said with a nod.

"Same here, Mrs. Munroe."

"I met Chad on the bus ride over here. He helped me out with a lot of things. He's been such an amazing friend, even when I lost all my money…"

Connie interrupted her. "Yes, Lucy told me about that. I can't believe you would be so careless, Sonny. This is why I didn't want you coming to LA in the first place. I don't think you're ready yet."

"Mom, please listen to me. I am plenty responsible enough! It could have happened to anyone. Just because something bad happened it doesn't mean I have to give up on my entire dream!"

"Sweetie, I still think you should come home with me."

Sonny and Chad's seemed to the stop at that moment. "No!" the screamed together. Connie and Lucy jumped at their outburst.

"Mom! You can't do that! I already auditioned for the show, and I'm going to be finding out any day now if I made onto So Random!" Sonny protested.

"Please, Mrs. Munroe. Sonny is so talented, don't this shot away from her. Don't let her regret never finishing what she started!" Chad pleaded. Connie glanced at Sonny and Chad with a confused face. She didn't understand why they were both so intent on having Sonny stay. Was there something more to the story than Sonny had told?

"I don't know, Sonny."

"Mom, please. I'm begging you. Don't take me home! Not yet!"

Connie shook her head. "I'll have to think about this. Right now, Lucy and I are going to check in to our room." She paused to look between Chad and Sonny. "I'm sure that you'll be joining us, Sonny?"

"What?" Sonny asked in surprise.

"Well, you were only rooming with Chad because you had no money of your own. I'm here now for however long that might be. You don't need to stay in this room any longer."

"Oh." Sonny said. She guessed her mom was right. She didn't know why she didn't like the sound of the idea though. "Yeah, I guess. I'll collect my stuff and meet you guys tonight."

"Okay, you have our numbers, sweetie." Connie said as she kissed Sonny's head and motioned for Lucy to come along. "It was nice meeting you, Chad."

Lucy smiled at Sonny and gave Chad a wave. "I'll talk to you later." Lucy winked as she ran off with her luggage. "Bye Chad!"

Chad and Sonny sat in the room minutes after they left just staring at each other. Sonny couldn't believe her mom had even suggested going back home. Her mom just seemed to be confused about what exactly was going on, but she didn't seem upset. She just looked like she wasn't sure what was going on with her daughter. If Sonny could convince her mom that her dream was extremely important to her, maybe she could stay!

Chad looked at Sonny with determination in his eyes. "You're not going home, Munroe." He spoke sternly. Sonny looked at him in surprise. "What?"

"You're not going home. You're not going to leave me to do my audition without support!" he pouted. Sonny giggled. "Even if I left Chad, you would do amazing…" she paused. "Besides, it looks like Portlyn supports you enough."

"Portlyn isn't my best friend." He said. Sonny's smile fell of her face and was replaced quickly by shock. Chad realized what he said and blushed looking down. He had just admitted that in the short amount of time they had known each other, she had become one of the most important people in his life- his best friend. Gosh, that was embarrassing. Now she probably thought he was a creep or something.

Sonny, however, was having completely different thoughts. Her stomach was full of fluttering butterflies. She thought it was so sweet that Chad thought of her that way, but at the same time it hurt. She was his best friend….his friend….nothing else. The idea bothered her more than it should have.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that…"

"No!" she said quickly before he could take it back. "Its fine, Chad, more than fine. It's really sweet of you." She grinned. "You're my best friend too…" she paused and leaned forward to 'fake whisper'. "Just don't tell Lucy."

Chad let out a laugh. "Fine."

"Fine!" Sonny replied. Chad smirked.

"Good!"

"Good!"

"Good!"

"So are we good?" Sonny smirked.

"Oh we are so good!"

They burst into laughter again and hugged each other tightly. After a moment, Chad let her go already missing the feel of her in his arms. He shook his head. He was getting ahead of himself.

"I'm going to get dressed. Then we can show your mom and Lucy around LA. Maybe even take them by the studio!"

Sonny nodded her head eagerly. "Okay! I'll text Lucy." She said as she took out her phone. Chad picked up his clothes and walked to the bathroom. Sonny smiled as she created a new text. She had a feeling things would be looking up.

* * *

_A/N:_ heey! What did you guys think? Oh! I thought I would mention that I have a new story called "Sonny with a Chance: Mandy Returns". It's for a challenge, and I'd really appreciate it if you guys checked it out!

OH! Also, my next update might take me a little longer. I have a Twilight story that is seriously just 2 chapters away from being complete. So I really wanted to get that out of the way so I can focus on Don't Stop Believing" and "Mandy Returns". :]

So don't kill me! Read and review!


	10. Ahem

Hey guys…it's me…

;;

Don't hate me please!

I am _really_ terribly sorry that I haven't updated in forever!

School started for me on August 12 and since then my life has not

been my own. I haven't had time for ANYTHING. However, I _might_ be able to

update my things this coming week.

I'm going to a trip to Virginia and maybe- just maybe I'll have time during my break from school to post an update or two for my stories.

I feel horrible because I wasn't able to meet the challenge for my story "Mandy Returns." I was feeling good about the story and everything but I don't have TIME. That's the worst part about this all. You can look forward to updates during Christmas break though. xD I know I'll have free time then.

So, I just thought I should let you know what I'm up to.

Follow me on Twitter! twitter (dot) com /SonshineKisses

Please understand that I'm in my senior year and I am buried under AP work, after-school activities and college applications.

xoxo Krys.


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